Kewley's Wrath
by Zendorox
Summary: This story takes place immediately following episode 13 of the show. For the purpose of my story, the beginning timeline is set roughly 6 months before Kewley's comet.
1. Part 1 The Calm Before The Storm

**Disclaimer:** The characters and premise of "Prey" do not belong to me, they belong to William Schmidt, the creator, and whoever bought the rights. I'm just borrowing them for a while.  
**Summary:** This story takes place immediately following episode 13 of the show. For the purpose of my story, the beginning timeline is set roughly 6 months before Kewley's comet.

* * *

**Part 1: The Calm Before The Storm**

The speeding black van is barely noticed as it races west on the Santa Monica Freeway. Little does anyone know the cargo held within, a steel cage containing a lone man ... unconscious, bound and gagged. It takes the Long Beach exit continuing south to the Santa Ana exchange. Within an hour it pulls up to a facility surrounded by a chain link fence and razor wire.

WARNING

MILITARY INSTALLATION

Off Limits to Unauthorized Personnel

The van enters through the gate and heads for a plane waiting on the runway. The cage is swiftly loaded onto the aircraft. Four men clad in black, armed with automatic weapons follow behind. The van pulls away as the plane taxis down the runway and is quickly airborne. Heading east toward the desert, it disappears into the night sky.

x.x.x

She is still standing in the middle of the street as though frozen in place. Her mind replaying the scene her eyes have just witnessed. Tears run down her face as the reality of what has happened slowly sinks in, Tom is gone. She jumps when she hears a car honk as it swerves to avoid her, continuing on its way. Turning slowly, she sees her car still idling in the street where she'd left it with the door ajar. Dazed she walks to her car, gets in and pulls it to the curb. Parking completed, she kills the engine, gets out and heads to her apartment.

When she gets to her door, she sees Ed lying on the floor unconscious amid overturned chairs and broken glass. Her heart races as she rushes to his side and bends to feel for a pulse. Sloan sighs in relief when she finds one, although it's weak. Mere tears have now turned to full out sobs as she frantically fumbles around looking for her phone. Finally finding it on the floor, she picks it up and dials 911.

x.x.x

The two men drove in silence, each wondering what their next move should be. They both know they are marked and can no longer go back to their normal lives. Their entire world has turned completely upside down within the last twenty-four hours. Almost without conscious thought, they pull into the parking lot of a rundown motel. Parking in the shadows, the smaller of the two walks into the office while the other waits in the car.

The man reappears with a key and walks toward a room. The other steps out of the car and follows. They open the door to the motel room and disappear inside, securely locking the door behind them.

x.x.x

The aircraft touches down on a dark airstrip in the middle of the desert. The black outlines of mountains in the distance are visible on the horizon. A few scattered hangars are the only structures to be seen. There are no lights besides those few in front of the buildings. The area is silent except the sound of the wind howling across the desert floor. A truck pulls up to the cargo door of the plane and the cage is unloaded. The unconscious man held within, dressed only in a pair of lightweight pants, shivers slightly as the cool desert wind hits his skin.

The truck turns down the runway and drives the short distance to what appears to be a bunker carved in the side of a hill. The runway dips down toward the underground facility and disappears within. The massive steel doors slide open and the truck vanishes inside. The doors close, appearing as though the mouth of a giant beast had just swallowed its prey.

x.x.x

Sloan follows the stretcher as it is unloaded and wheeled into the emergency room. She tightly hangs onto the thin thread of composure she has managed to regain. She watches as the ER doctors rush to Ed's side and begin their assessment of his condition. They ask her what happened and she relates what little she knows, not mentioning anything about Tom's abduction. They dismiss her, telling her they will advise her of his status once they've completed their exam. She slowly walks toward the lobby to begin her wait.

Sloan grabs a cup of coffee from the machine and settles into a chair. She stares at the wall unseeing as she begins to replay the events of the day in her mind. In spite of herself, fresh tears start to fall as she remembers Tom's reaction to the serum. First the fever and his confession as they both feared he'd die. Then his contagious excitement at all the new sensations associated with being human. Finally, the horror of watching him shoved into a van by soldiers and finding Ed out cold on her apartment floor.

Sloan can feel it in her gut that their situation is desperate. She fights to keep the terror she feels at bay... and she waits.

x.x.x

Inside the motel room, the two men discuss their quandary. Both are tense with the knowledge that the government is trying to force an all out war. Neither are sure what they should do next but both agree they must do something.

Looking at the phone he still has in his possession, Walter decides the place to start is with the numbers it contains. He scans through its memory, reading them off as Ray writes them down. He removes his laptop from his briefcase and connects it to the line next to the phone. Dialing into the Internet, he starts researching the area codes and prefixes to determine who the numbers belong to.

He discovers the calls are divided between Washington DC, Virginia, Nevada and Colorado but he's unable to get a fix on exact locations. He tells Ray that there are several highly classified government installations in these areas. They conclude that they are all indeed in grave danger. Deciding it's time to warn the others, Walter reaches for his phone. He dials the number to Sloan's home ... and he listens as it starts to it ring.

x.x.x

Sloan starts when she hears her cell phone ring. She absently looks at her purse and then reaches for the offending device. "Sloan Parker" she answers.

"Sloan, this is Walter. There have been some developments; I need to talk to you and Ed as soon as possible. I tried calling you at home, where are you?"

"Walter! Oh my God Walter, they've kidnapped Tom! Ed ... I'm at the hospital with him now waiting to find out if he'll be OK!"

"Sloan, slow down! Who kidnapped Tom ... and why is Ed being treated at the hospital?"

"I'm not sure who grabbed Tom. They looked like soldiers; they were shoving him into a van just as I pulled up to my apartment. When I went upstairs, I found Ed lying in the floor knocked out. Whoever they were, they broke in. I called an ambulance and had Ed brought here."

"Ok, I want you to stay where you are until I contact you. We obviously need to talk, but I want to get in touch with someone else first."

"Oh and Sloan?" he continues. "Be very careful, we are all in a lot of danger right now."

x.x.x

Ray looks at Walter expectantly, "Well? Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Walter sighs as he drops his phone, still in hand, to his lap. He looks pointedly at Ray, "Sloan's apartment was invaded. Tom has been abducted and Ed is in the emergency room."

Ray whistles and gives Walter an exasperated look. "Do you think your boss had anything to do with this?"

Walter nods his head, "I wouldn't be a bit surprised. One thing is for certain, we all need to find somewhere more secure to hold up until we can work out a plan of action."

Ray agrees, "Walter, she knows that I'm also involved in what happened last night. I have to find a safe place for my family before she comes after them too."

"I think you have good cause for concern there." Walter agrees. "Let me try and get in touch with Mark Ward."

"The dominant from the peace faction?" Ray asks with surprise. "Why? We don't know that we can trust him!"

"Because," Walter answers "At this point we are out of options and he is the only one left we CAN trust."

With that Walters returns his attention to his phone and dials the number.

x.x.x

Dark dense slime surrounds him. Thunder, felt rather than heard, rolling faraway. He is floating through space and time; swimming through the thick murk toward the light, faint in the distance. Bit by bit, the black gives way to gray. Tom opens his eyes.

He blinks still uncomprehending. Gradually realization dawns on him. He's on his back staring at a bare light bulb above him. Turning his head he sees he's in a cage. Startled, he tries to sit up and finds he can't. The enclosure is too small. Twisting within its confines, he manages to kneel.

Still foggy from the drug, he tries to think. He remembers being in Sloan's apartment ... with Ed. A sudden, loud noise ... someone breaking in. Arms seizing him, forcing him toward the door. Someone grabbed Ed ... he hits the floor. A pain at his neck ... someone injected him with something. A drug? Someone dragging him outside ... Sloan! Sloan screaming for him, but he can't fight them. Too hard. Arms and legs are too heavy. Then ... nothing but blackness.

He shakes his head to try and clear his mind. Looking around he sees nothing except the cage and the light above. He tries to "sense" but comes up empty. Fear begins to seep in as he realizes he's alone ... and caged ... like an animal.

x.x.x

Sloan looks up and notices a doctor walking with purpose towards her. She stands, anxious for news on Ed's condition.

"Ms. Parker?" He reaches out to shake her hand.

Sloan absently accepts his handshake, "Ed, how is he? Can I see him?"

"Mr. Tate was injected with a very strong sedative. He sustained a blow to the head, but he has no major injuries. He's out of the woods, but we want to keep him overnight for observation. He's being taken up to his room now. The nurse at the admissions desk can give you his room number."

"Thank you." Sloan replies as she grabs her coat and purse, rushing to the admissions desk.

Upon obtaining Ed's room number, she heads for the bank of elevators and rides to the 4th floor. She enters his room and sees he is still unconscious. Grabbing a chair, she sits next to his bed to start her long vigil.

She wonders to herself when their lives would ever be normal again ... and she worries about Tom.

x.x.x

Walter opens the motel room door to the dominant from the peace faction. "Mark please come in." He closes the door and extends his hand, "Thank you for agreeing to meet with us. I have information and news that I felt you should hear. Both are disturbing."

Mark hesitantly shakes Walter's hand, "Dr. Attwood, I must admit I was surprised to hear from you so soon. Though I am pleased to know you followed through with your pledge to get answers."

Walter motions for Mark to take a seat, "Well, I'm afraid the answers I got are not good news. If anything, they raise more questions. I also received news about three of my people that quite frankly scares the hell out me. It may be related, it may not, but my gut instinct tells me it is."

Glancing at Ray, Mark returns his attention to Walter and sits in a chair next to the table.

"Ray and I cornered my contact at the university's lab. She admitted that my government was in fact behind the attack on our meeting. We took her cell phone which I was able to use to track down some of her recent calls. While I was not able to determine exact locations, all her calls were to areas with highly classified government installations. " Walter states.

"I also got news a short time ago that, coupled with what we already know, greatly disturbs me." Walter continued. "I assume you are familiar with who Dr.'s Sloan Parker and Ed Tate are, as well as Tom Daniels?

Mark nods, "Tom Daniels is the Chameleon that turned his back on my people and started working with you. The doctors are the ones that discovered my species existed."

"Yes. I spoke to Sloan a couple of hours ago and found out that her apartment was raided last night by what I suspect were soldiers acting on orders from my government." Walter adds. "Apparently, while she was out, Tom Daniels was abducted and Dr Tate attacked. She was at the hospital with Ed when I talked to her."

"If that's true Dr. Attwood, your scientists are in as much danger as we are." Mark replies.

"Yes," Walter agrees. "That is why I'm going to ask for your help. We are out of options here and I would like for us to work together; that is if you will agree."

Mark's expression changes to one of surprise, "Dr. Attwood I'm not sure what help you want from me... or what I can possibly provide. My people have scattered since the attack last night. I'm not even sure who is left."

Suddenly Ray jumps up and turns up the volume on the television which has been playing quietly in the background.

_... This is CNN Headline Reports..._

_CNN has uncovered reports of secret peace negotiations between the US government and the newly discovered species labeled Homo-Dominant. Further reports indicate a secret meeting took place last night between representatives of the two groups, but that the meeting ended in violence. Insiders state that members on both sides were killed and that evidence points to the Homo-Dominant faction as those responsible for the bloodshed. When asked for comment, the National Security Adviser, John Maxwell, stated that this action provides further proof the new species is a threat to the human race..._

The three men sit in stunned silence staring at the television screen. Finally, Ray rises from his chair and turns the volume down.

Mark turns to Walter, "Dr. Attwood you do realize what this means. We are now one step closer to war between our people."

Walters sighs and looks at Mark, "Yes if we let my government win, but if we work together maybe there is still a chance we can sway public opinion to one of peace before its too late."

Mark nods his head, "Do you have any ideas on where we go from here?"

"I think the first step we should take is getting both our groups to someplace more secure." Walter replies. "I know of a place near Palmdale that would be safe. It is isolated and would allow all of us some time to regroup and plan our next move."

"Walter, what about my family? Is it safe to bring them there as well?" Ray asks.

Walter looks at Ray, "Your family is in as much danger as the rest of us. We should get them to safety as well."

Walter pulls a piece of paper from the desk. Writing a note and handing it to Mark he says, "This is the address of the location I was referring to. Can you get your people together and meet us there? In the mean time, I have to go to the hospital to advise Sloan and Ed."

Taking the slip of paper from Walter, folding it and placing it in his pocket, Mark stands and faces the two humans. "I'll gather my people and meet you there in say, six hours? I can't guarantee how many will come, but I'll do what I can."

Walter nods, "I understand." Turning to Ray, "Let's get out of here and go to the hospital. We can tell Sloan where to go and then go collect your family."

Ray agrees, standing as well. The three men shake hands and leave the room.

x.x.x

Sloan is still in shock, having just watched the same CNN broadcast. She turns to Ed who looks at her from his bed in confusion.

"My God Ed! What the hell is going on?"

Ed shakes his head, "I have no idea. First Tom and now this. I don't know what to think."

Hearing the door open, they both look up to see Walter and Ray walking in. Sloan jumps to her feet, "Walter! Ray! Where the hell have you two been? Have you seen the news! They're saying the dominants opened fire on peace talks last night!

Walter puts his hand up, "Yes I've seen it. The report is false. I was there and so was Ray. That's why I'm here."

Sloan stops and looks at Walter, "Maybe you can explain that a little further?"

Walter states, "Sloan, there is no time for that right now. You are going to have to trust me. The two of you need to get out of here before you're found." Handing Sloan a piece of paper, "This is the address of the location where we are meeting near Palmdale. I want you and Ed to leave the hospital and meet us there. Ray and I are going to his home to get his family."

Sloan takes the paper and glances at Ed. Looking back at Walter, "Who's '_we'_ Walter? Who are we meeting up with?"

Walters looks first at Sloan, then Ed, then back to Sloan, "The dominant peace faction, or what's left of them."

"What!" Ed bolts upright in his bed. "Have you lost your mind? If the dominants are the ones that attacked that meeting last night, they'll kill us if they find us!"

Sighing, Walter sits down in the chair next to the bed, "Ed, it wasn't the dominants that attacked us last night. It was our own government and they are trying to pin the blame on the dominants."

"Why?" asks Ed.

"To start a war of course." Walter replies in answer. "Now ... we are out of time. Get your things together and meet us there. We'll see you in a bit." With that, Walter and Ray both turn and leave the room.

Sloan looks at Ed, "Well come on, get dressed. I don't understand all this but I want to get out of here. The sooner we get there, the sooner we'll get the whole story."

x.x.x

Tom raises his head at the sound of approaching foot steps. He looks to see a man in black suit, holding a clipboard, walking toward him; accompanied by four heavily armed soldiers.

"Well Mr. ..." the man raises his clipboard and looks at it, lowering it again, " ... Daniels is it? Welcome."

"Where am I?" Tom asks maintaining his cool exterior. "Who are you? Why have you brought me here?"

"A lot of questions Mr. Daniels." the man replies. "We have questions we'd like answers to as well. As a prisoner of war, it would serve your best interests to cooperate with us."

Tom calmly looks the man in the eye, "What do you mean 'prisoner of war'? We aren't at war with humans."

"On the contrary, that is about to change. The first wave of the plan was put into motion today." the man states. "You were just an obstacle that had to be removed." he turns and walks away.

Tom stares after him in disbelief. This is obviously a government facility he decides after seeing the soldiers. Why would they take him when he'd been assisting Walter, who worked for them? Was this some kind of covert operation that wasn't sanctioned by the government?

Then a thought slammed into him like a freight train ... What about Sloan? What has happened to her? And Ed? Were they in danger too?

"Daniels!" one of the guards barks at him. "Turn around with your back to the door and place your hands behind your back!"

Tom hesitates, looking at the guards. "Do it! Do it now!" the guard yells as weapons are raised pointing directly at him.

Slowly Tom turns in his cage with his back to the door and the guards. He puts his hands behind his back and closes his eyes.

He suddenly feels something slip around his neck and tighten. The back of his cage starts to move toward him, pinning him against the bars. He starts to panic and grabs at the noose around his neck. The more he struggles the tighter it gets. Everything begins to swim in front of him as he loses consciousness.

The guards quickly rush to the cage and open the door. With two having weapons still trained on him, the other two guards proceed to remove his clothing and shackle his hands and feet. Having accomplished that, a collar is placed around his neck with a chain going down his back. The cuffs around his wrists and ankles are then attached to this chain; then the entire apparatus is finally attached to the cage itself. Finished with their work, the guards slam the cage door closed and lock it.

A forklift appears and lifts the cage. The driver turns toward a long passageway and drives deeper into the facility. Arriving at a large set of doors constructed of steel bars, it pauses while the doors are opened remotely. Proceeding forward, the cage is placed in its compartment. Completing its task, the forklift turns and drives out of the room, the barred doors slamming closed behind it.

Tom didn't see the multitude of other cages, many containing dominants, also occupying the room where he now resided.

x.x.x

Following the directions Walter had given her; Sloan took the Crown Valley Road exit off of State Route 14. Ed dozed in the passenger seat while she drove. The only thing she had to keep her company were her thoughts, which turned again to their situation. She tried desperately to focus only on facts and specifics rather than Tom or her terror, knowing the later would consume her if she allowed it to get a foothold.

After traveling about five miles, the road dead ended at a sprawling ranch house. The property was fairly isolated which would allow them some privacy. She pulled up the driveway which led around to the back of the house. Ed awoke just as Walter and Ray came walking out of the house.

"Sloan, Ed, I'm glad you made it. I trust you didn't have any trouble?" Walter asked opening Sloan's door.

"Your directions were easy to follow." Sloan got out of the car. "Have the people from the peace faction gotten here yet? And when are you going to explain what's going on?"

"They should be on their way." Walter replied. "Let's get you and Ed inside and I'll explain everything."

"Grace and Matt are inside." Ray stated. ""Come on in and I'll introduce you."

Sloan and Ed followed the two men into the house. Setting their bags next to the door, they followed Walter into the living room and took a seat on the couch.

"Ok Walter, out with it. I want to know what's going on ... everything, starting at the beginning." Sloan said as she leveled a look at Walter.

"Yeah, me too." Ed added. "I want to know who those guys were that came crashing through Sloan's door last night and knocked me out. They knew Tom was there."

Walter sat down and proceeded to outline the entire story for them. Ray interjected when necessary.

" ... So you see, we are on the run. Our only chance is to actively work with the remaining members of the dominant peace faction and try to circumvent what she and our government is trying to do." Walter finished. "Mark says he's not certain how many members are left. They're scared and understandably so."

"Walter they've closed down the lab." Sloan stated. "That's where I was coming from last night when I saw them take Tom."

"Why were you at the lab that late at night?" Walter asked.

Looking at Ed who shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Sloan continued. "Ummm ... I went to get a booster shot for Tom."

Walter shakes his head. "I don't understand."

"We tested the genogenesis therapy on Tom." Ed reluctantly volunteered. "He was reverting back, he was at 1.4. I decided to try a booster shot."

"YOU DID WHAT!" Walter boomed. "Have you any idea how dangerous that was? You weren't ready for hominid testing yet! You hadn't even completed live testing on a monkey! What you did ... both of you ... was completely irresponsible! You're lucky Tom didn't die!"

"Well if it makes any difference, Tom volunteered. Sloan was completely against it." Ed retorts. "But it worked. Tom was at human baseline, until he started reverting."

"That explains why they were able to capture him. I wondered about that." Walter responds. "Well ... we can't do anything about that now. We have to focus on the situation at hand. That being, our government is trying to start a war with the homo-dominants and we have to find a way to stop it."

"Walter, do you really trust this Mark?" Sloan asked. "Do you really think there are others out there that want peace ... like Tom?"

"Well Sloan, you can judge that yourself." Walter replies standing. "Allow me to introduce you to Mark Ward."

With that, Sloan and Ed turn to see a tall black man standing just inside the living room door.

"Dr. Attwood." Mark says stepping forward to shake Walter's hand. "I see you managed to get the rest of your people together. Mine are here as well, they're just outside."

Walter clasps Mark's outstretched hand with both his own, smiling. "Mark, I'm glad you made it. Please, have your people come inside. I think it's time everyone meets."

Mark nodded and turned to the door, calling out to the others to come in. Ray in turn calls out to Grace and Matt to join them in the living room. The humans stand and watch as the rest of the dominants file through the front door. Eight people total make up Mark's group, six adults and two children. The two groups stare at each other momentarily.

Walter is the first to speak. "I'm Walter Attwood. Allow me to introduce you all to the rest of my group." Walter indicates each with nod and wave of his hand. "Sloan Parker, Ed Tate, Ray Peterson and his family Grace and Matt."

Following Walter's lead, Mark moves to each member of his group as he introduces them. "This is Dennis Collins." He indicates to a tall man with dark hair and intense brown eyes. "David Filben." A young man with dark hair and green eyes nods his head. "Mari Kaplan." A tall, robust woman with blonde hair and blue eyes smiles. "Alan and Debra Denton and their children, Randy and Susan."

Upon seeing the other two kids, Matt steps forward. "Hey" Matt says to them smiling. "Wanna go check out the stables in back? It really looks pretty cool back there. I brought my basketball and there's a hoop out on the barn."

Randy and Susan both look to their parents barely concealing their excitement. Alan addresses Walter. "Are you sure it's safe here?" Seeing Walter's nod, he turns back to his children. "Ok, but stay close to the house. Don't wander off." The three young people race out the door before anyone has a chance to change their minds. All the adults could hear them laughing and chattering at once as they ran for the stables and barn.

Turning back to Walter, Alan says, "They don't get a chance to act like children often. We've never been someplace where they could relax."

"... or where it was safe." Debra adds. Grace came forward then, "Children need that play time. Time to investigate and learn about the world around them. Maybe ... maybe things can be different for them here." Debra smiles at Grace nodding her head.

Walters clears his throat and addresses the entire group. "Let me assure everyone, this place is safe for the moment. My government doesn't know about it, it actually belongs to an old friend of mine, someone who doesn't work for the government."

"I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that, while we may not have much reason to trust each other now, we want this to work." he continues. "I think the best way for us to build trust between our groups is to take some time to get to know each other."

"Well how about we do that over dinner?" Mari speaks up. "Cause I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starving!"

"Yeah! Walter, you got any food in this place?" Ed joins in.

Grace starts to head for the kitchen with Debra following along. "How about we see what ya got in here and we'll make us all some dinner."

x.x.x

Tom awakens with a start, his last memory that of being choked by the snare. He reaches up automatically to feel his neck and finds the collar he's now wearing. He quickly turns and sees the shackles and chains as well as the other cages. Remembering the back of the cage moving, he starts to inspect it a little closer.

"It's a squeeze-back cage Tom. They use them in primate labs for their test animals."

Tom jumps recognizing the voice. He quickly looks around and spots him in one of the other cages. Lewis.

"How does it feel Tom? Knowing the humans betrayed you." Lewis says. "Do you still think coexistence is possible now that they have you locked up like a monkey in cage."

"Kinda ironic don't you think? That they are using snares and cages designed for lab animals." Lewis continues. "Very telling about what they think of us ... your humans."

"Lewis, do you have any idea where we are?" Tom asks ignoring the snide comments.

"How would I know that Tom? I've been in here since you turned me over to the humans." Lewis replied with much malice. "This is what you did to me. I'm going to enjoy watching you go through the same thing. Very fitting punishment I think."

"Lewis do you think we can postpone this?" Tom replied with irritation.

"Of course." Lewis states blandly. "We have plenty of time to discuss the humans' and your betrayal. We aren't going anywhere I assure you. They don't let us out of these cages without those doors being locked."

"Right after I got here, a man came down to speak with me briefly." Tom says to Lewis. "He said I was a prisoner of war; that the first wave to start a war between us and the humans had been put into motion."

"Interesting." Lewis said. "I think the humans will find they'll get more than they bargained for."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Tom asked.

"Simple. We've been getting ready for this for a long time Tom." Lewis answered. "It's unfortunate that our hand will be forced, but we have more technology and firepower at our disposal than they think."

Tom settled back into as comfortable a position as he could find to think about Lewis's remarks. He'd never been privy to the master plan so he had no idea what his species was capable of in regards to fighting a war. He thought about his situation, wondering what they would want from him and if he could find a means of escape.

He finally closed his eyes and thought about the day before. He'd been human and the sensations associated with it were incredible. He finally understood what he felt for Sloan. He'd always known he felt strongly about her ... protective. Hell, he'd give his life to keep her safe. But he hadn't realized what he felt was love, not really, not until he felt it as a human. Sloan ... God he hoped she was ok ... and safe.

x.x.x

The group spent the last few days trying to settle frayed nerves and get to know each other. They'd discovered that despite their differences genetically, they really weren't that different at all. They wanted to live normal lives, safety for their children, the chance to purse their desires, and peace.

The children did as children always do, ignoring their differences in favor of running in the sun; laughing as they raced each other to the stables; and discovering the secret hiding places of the rabbits in the barn.

This morning found Sloan and Walter talking quietly and watching the news on television. Sloan was still frantic with worry about Tom but they had no way of finding him, let alone getting him back. Walter noticed scenes of rioting on the news and a caption caught his eye. He silenced Sloan and turned up the sound.

_... More rioting broke out in cities across the country today as the public called for an end to the Homo-Dominant threat. Members of White Supremacist groups marched, calling for the death of all dominants while members from the NAACP and Animal Rights organizations advocated a softer approach. People from both groups battled in the streets as the demonstrations turned to violence. ..._

_...Four suspected members of the new species were found hanged in a public park in Los Angeles. Authorities there believe the deaths were the result of increasing public opinion against the Homo-Dominants. The bodies have been taken to a nearby government lab for testing. ..._

_...In other news, in an effort to increase security in the wake of the growing threat, federal officials have announced a new policy of routine DNA testing for all government employees. A spokesperson for the government says the testing will go into effect immediately. ..._

"My God Walter! What's happening!" Sloan cried after what she just heard. "This is snowballing."

Neither noticed Mark and Dennis who'd walked in behind them and had heard the news broadcast. They stood watching the humans, sensing their concern over the news they'd just learned. Both could also sense the terror and worry coming from Sloan over Tom.

"It seems the situation is escalating." Mark stated as he walked the rest of the way into the room. Dennis stayed where he was, folding his arms across his chest and leaning on the door frame.

"I'm afraid you're right about that." Walter sighed. "I just wish there was something I could do! However, after being cutoff from any of my contacts, not that I could trust any of them now anyway, and being locked out of the lab, I'm completely powerless."

Mark felt sympathy for the man. It was obvious he was appalled at the turn of events. He felt the need to give Walter some relief for the helplessness he was obviously feeling. "You are doing something whether you realize it or not. You've given all of us a safe haven. While you may not feel that is much, it means a lot to us. It also goes a long way toward establishing coexistence between our peoples.

"Dr Attwood," Mark continued "It's clear the path to peace is not through your government or mine. It's through the hearts and minds of the common people. The more there are, the louder the voice that will stand up and call for an end to the madness."

"Mark, do you really believe that?" Sloan asked. "That more of your kind will want coexistence? That they would stand up and call for peace?"

Mark nodded his head but it was Dennis that answered "Sloan, if we didn't we wouldn't be here."

x.x.x

No one seemed to notice as, one by one, families in suburban neighborhoods quietly packed their belongings and stole away silently in the middle of the night. People would collect the newspapers and mail left in piles on their neighbors front step; wondering where they'd gone and when they'd be back ... never suspecting that their friends might be of the new species.

Corporations showed an increase in those not coming into work. Public schools and universities were less crowded as students didn't report for class. The absenteeism wasn't so high as to raise an alarm. It was spring after all. People got spring fever and played hooky, everyone knew that.

In the cities the protests and rioting steadily increased. Roving bands of skinheads and gangs roamed the streets and parks, ever watchful for suspected dominants. Violent crime was on the rise but city police departments were hard pressed to do anything about it. They had their hands full with the rioting and looting. Fire departments were kept busy with the increase of structure fires and extinguishing the crosses set to blaze in eulogy by the white supremacists.

Government officials called for calm amid the growing violence. They asked for citizens not to take matters into their own hands, but to report suspected dominants to their local authorities. Mandatory routine DNA testing began for federal employees and military personnel. State and city governments began to follow suit by testing office workers and law enforcement. Police departments were issued field DNA test kits and instructed on their use. Test results turned up very few dominants. Those that were discovered quietly disappeared.

x.x.x

Sandra Dodson pulled into the dorm parking where her friend Richard lived. She hadn't seen Richard in a couple of days and was worried about him. She got out of her car and rushed up to his room. Knocking on the door, she waited for him to answer. When she didn't get a response, she knocked again ... harder this time. "Richard, answer the door." she called out. Still getting no answer, she turned to leave and almost ran down John Taylor.

"Sandra, what are you doing here? It's late, you shouldn't be out after dark like this. It's too dangerous."

"I'm looking for Richard. He hasn't been in class for a couple days and I'm starting to get concerned about him."

John appeared nervous as he quickly looked around him "Richard is a big boy, he can take care of himself."

"John, that may be so but it doesn't stop me for worrying. I'm going to go out and see if I can find him." Sandra headed for the door.

John shook his head. Sandra was stubborn and she wasn't going to give up on her search. He'd known her a long time, once she got it into her head to do something, she didn't let go easily. It wasn't safe for anyone to be out on the streets anymore ... even humans. He ran to catch up with her.

"Sandra! Hold up!" John yelled catching up to her. "Woman! You are stubborn as a bull moose you know that? What part of 'it's not safe' did you not get?"

"John I have to find him! I'm worried about him!" Sandra was starting to get upset. She couldn't tell John what she knew, Richard's life depended on that.

John stood still and looked hard at Sandra. Focusing on her, he sensed great concern for Richard and affection ... and protectiveness. She knew! She knew Richard was a dominant!

"Come on Sandra, I understand your problem now. I know where he's at. I'll take you to him."

"What do you mean 'you understand my problem now'?" What suddenly caused you to understand so much better than what I just said?" Sandra looked at John, then it dawned on her.

"You're one of them too?" she whispered. "I didn't know. Then you know how much danger he's in? Both of you!"

John nodded to her as he steered her toward her car "All the more reason for us to go find Richard and get off the streets"

x.x.x

Bill Davidson pulled into his driveway. He was bone tired. Today had been insane at his office. The already hectic pace was compounded by the delays caused by workers having to report for DNA testing. He didn't think they'd ever meet the end of the month billing schedule. It was already late ... hell it was after 8 o'clock. He knew he'd missed dinner too. Right now all he wanted was a sandwich and a cold beer. He wearily exited his car and made his way to his house.

Looking to his left he noticed his neighbors, the Clarks, were apparently packing. The back of their SUV was open and he could see several bags in the back. He liked Mike and Amy Clark. They were quiet but friendly. They'd gotten together with him and his wife Janice several times for cook outs or to play cards. They'd lived next door now for about four years with their quadruplets. God! Four kids at one time. He couldn't imagine it, one was bad enough.

He noticed Mike coming out of the house with several large bags and began to walk toward him.

"Mike you got a load there! Let me help you with that."

Michael Clark jumped at sound of Bill's voice. He was so caught up in what he was doing, he hadn't sensed he was there. "Thanks Bill, I appreciate it."

Bill grabbed two of the bags off the top of the pile and walked with Mike to the SUV. They deposited their load and straightened to look at each other.

"You guys going on a trip?" Bill asked surveying the back of the vehicle.

Mike hesitated before answering. He considered Bill Davidson to be a friend, but he was human. He wasn't sure he should tell him the truth, he may not understand. He sighed inwardly at the current mess he found himself in. He and Amy had been happy here. The kids were happy too, they'd been able to blend in and act like normal kids.

He sensed the danger before he saw it. A police car was slowly making its way down the street. Ignoring Bill's earlier question, he hurriedly slammed the doors of his SUV. He quickly walked into his house and closed the door.

Bill stood rooted in his place slightly stunned. He wasn't sure what to make of what had just happened. He turned in time to see the patrol car stop next to the SUV and shine a flashlight into the windows. "Evening officer, something wrong?"

The cop lowered his flashlight and looked at him suspiciously "Is this your vehicle? Looks like you're planning a trip."

"No sir, it belongs to my neighbor. He's letting me borrow it. I'm taking my family camping for the weekend."

"Sir, would you mind stepping over to the car?" the cop asked getting out and walking to the front. "I'm afraid I have to ask you to submit to a DNA test."

"Sure officer, that's not a problem." Bill replied. He stuck out his arm and submitted to the test. Within five minutes his DNA cleared as human.

Satisfied with the test results, the cop packed up the kit and got back into his car. "Sorry to have troubled you. We got standing orders to test anyone that looks suspicious."

"I understand, it's no trouble officer. We can't let those dominants win can we?" Bill stated backing away and turning toward his house.

He watched as the cop drove away, waiting till he was out of sight. He then walked across the lawn to his neighbor's door and softly knocked. When Mike answered, Bill looked at his friend "You want to tell me what the hell that was all about?"

Sighing Mike ushered him into the house and closed the door. "Bill, I saw what you did. You didn't have to do that ... thank you."

"To tell you the truth I'm not even sure why I lied to that cop." Bill stated running his hand through his hair. "I mean the only way you got anything to worry about these days is if you are a member of the new species."

Mike's silent stare told Bill everything he needed to know "That's why you guys are packing isn't it? You're leaving for good?"

Mike wasn't sure how to respond, but the secret was out now. There was no going back, Bill had guessed the truth. He looked at his friend and slowly nodded.

"Christ Mike! You got somewhere to go? What are you going to do about the kids?"

"Amy and I figured we'd head for the mountains. There are plenty of places to hide up there and the kids would be safe. They aren't safe here anymore."

"But where will you stay? In tents? What about food? What about when winter comes?"

"We'll think of something. Bill we can't stay here any longer. We have to get out now while we still can." Amy had heard the conversation in the front of the house and had walked in to join Michael, putting her arm around his waist.

"While I agree with you on that front, I think you need a little better plan Mike." Bill thought for a minute and continued. "Listen, I think the first thing we should do is get you all out of sight. I have a fully finished basement, we could hide all of you down there. We'll pull your car around back where no one can see it. That way everyone will think you've all already gone."

"Bill you are putting yourself at great risk, we can't let you do this."

"Oh bull! You guys are my friends, Janice feels the same way. And we both love those little girls of yours like they were our own, you know that. If you won't let us do this for you, let us do it for them."

Michael and Amy Clark both looked at each other and then the man standing before them. They nodded their heads in agreement.

"Ok, then it's settled. I have a cabin up in the mountains, we can all go up there and stay until this mess gets resolved."

"Bill your family can't go with us! What about your job?" Mike exclaimed.

"What about it? Everything here is going to hell in a hand basket. We got a war brewing, I'm sure of it and I don't want to be anywhere near when it starts. Besides, you guys are going to need humans with you to cover your asses."

With that Bill headed out the door and across the lawn to his own house to fill in Janice with the plan.

x.x.x

John and Sandra pulled up in front of an old house. There didn't appear to be anyone here. The lawn was overgrown and windows were dark. John got out and motioned for Sandra to follow him. He walked around to the back of the house and pulled out a key opening the door. Sandra followed John inside sticking close behind. It was pitch black and she couldn't see a thing. She knew Richard could see in the dark and figured John probably could as well.

John stopped suddenly in the middle of a room. "Richard it's ok, I have Sandra with me."

Richard came out into view, the room lit slightly by moonlight streaming through the windows. When Sandra saw him she immediately ran to him throwing herself in his arms.

"Sandra, you shouldn't be here. It's too dangerous." Richard said still holding her in an embrace.

"I was worried sick about you! How could I not try and find you! I was afraid you'd gotten caught or you were dead! Why didn't you tell me you were going into hiding?"

"Because I didn't want to put you in danger. I've been holding up here until I could figure out a better place to go. Once I had that worked out I was going to come and say goodbye."

"Well I have some news for you on that front." John stated. "I found them."

"Found who?" Sandra asked.

"Yeah, found who?" Richard echoed.

"The remaining members of the peace faction. They've gone into hiding ... out of the city. They're our best bet."

"Peace faction? What peace faction?" Richard asked in confusion.

"Richard, there is a group of us who are advocates for peace. I've been working with them for about a year now. They disappeared suddenly a couple of weeks ago and I had no idea where they were."

"Are you serious? I thought most of our species was out for blood." Richard stated

"Nope. Believe it or not there are a lot more out there that feel like you and I do. But we need to get going. It's almost dawn and we want to get on the road before the morning rush hour starts."

"I'm coming with you." Sandra states with determination.

"Sandra you can't. You'll be leaving everything behind, I can't ask you to do that." Richard replied looking at her.

"You're not asking, I'm telling you. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I'm coming with you and that's that." Sandra said daring Richard and John to argue with her.

John chuckled to himself "Stubborn. You are the most stubborn woman I've ever met. You sure you aren't one of us?"

x.x.x

The morning sun was just starting to crest above the horizon, sliding up between two peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains. Flecks of orange and gold reflected off the clouds as they floated on a sea of blue. Streaks of purple danced and swirled around the gold as the two coaxed the orange orb higher into the sky.

Sloan quietly opened the door and walked out onto the porch. Carrying her large cup of steaming coffee she sat in a chair and prepared to greet the morning. The air still held a chill which was common for spring desert nights. Birds were chirping merrily somewhere in the trees as they busily started their day and fed their young.

She set her face toward the sun and closed her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she enjoyed the warmth on her face and the peaceful silence surrounding her. She wondered to herself where Tom was at this moment. Could he see the sunrise? Could he feel the warmth on his skin? Somehow it made her feel closer to him when she thought about them sharing the same sky. She stubbornly refused to acknowledge the possibility that he could be dead, as though she could will him to stay alive with her thoughts alone. She ached with missing him.

Sloan didn't notice as David Filben slipped outside. He stood silently taking in the sunrise. Mornings had always been his favorite part of the day, making a point to rise before everyone else so he could enjoy it in peace. He looked at Sloan and saw she was a million miles away. He focused on her and sensed her anguish. Her emotions were so strong he could feel them as though they were his own.

He sighed breaking the silence "It's beautiful isn't it? I love watching the sunrise. Would you mind sharing it?"

She looked up as he walked toward her "Pull up a chair. I think there's enough to go around."

He settled into a chair next to her and smiled. She smiled in return. She liked David from what she'd gotten to know. He was relaxed with an easy going sense of humor. Much different than the other dominants she'd met so far. Well... except for Mari who was in a class all her own.

"You miss him don't you?" David suddenly asked looking at Sloan. "I don't mean to intrude, it's just that I can sense the emotions rolling off you in waves."

Sloan sighed looking at him, tears welling up in her eyes, "Yes I do, terribly. For the hundredth time I wish there was something I could do. I feel so helpless."

David nodded "Well, I know it's a small consolation, but don't give up on him. From what I know about Tom Daniels he was Chameleon and a damn good one at that. He's tough and I'm sure he'll be just fine."

"Thank you." Sloan replied a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I needed to hear that."

David smiled "Anytime."

Suddenly the peace of the early morning was shattered as Mari boomed "Good Morning you two!"

Mari strode over to the pair, took one look at Sloan and chided David. "Jeez David. I can't leave you alone five minutes and you got this poor girl in tears. You sure know how to impress a lady!"

Both David and Sloan laughed. Mari smiled back at them. She could sense Sloan's mood and knew she'd needed some cheering. A good hearty laugh would do the trick. "I keep telling him the way to impress a woman is through something positive. Flowers ... a romantic evening ... a good dinner. But NOOOOOO! You think he listens to me? Never."

David smiled wider, shaking his head at Mari's antics. Sloan giggled uncontrollably letting go of her somber thoughts. Mari spoke with just a touch of a southern drawl. That combined with her mannerisms was just too comical for anyone to resist.

David abruptly stood up, all the good humor gone. Mari's demeanor too had turned to dead seriousness. The two both looked at each other. While Mari quickly went back into the house, David turned toward the road. He took the gun from behind his back and stepped off the porch. Mari returned with Mark and Dennis in tow. The four walked around the house in time to see a car pulling up the driveway. Sensing who was inside, they relaxed as David returned his weapon to the waistband of his pants. Sloan stood up after witnessing the scene. Her initial fear replaced with curiosity after watching the dominants tension subside.

Mark walked up to the car as two men and a woman got out. "John, it's good to see you." He extended his hand which John immediately took. "Please, introduce me to your friends."

John nodded as he introduced Richard and Sandra. Mark shook each of their hands in turn.

"Come on up to the house." Mari said. "Not everyone is up yet but they'll all be coming to life here shortly." The three newcomers followed Mark and Mari with David and Dennis bringing up the rear.

When they stepped onto the porch they stopped, "This is Dr. Sloan Parker." Mark stated. Turning to the other three, he completed his introductions. "And Sloan this is John Taylor, a member of our faction that we'd thought we'd lost."

"And these are my friends Richard Adams and Sandra Dodson." John joined in.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you." Sloan replied. She was certain John was a dominant although she wasn't sure about the other two. She grinned to herself that she was going to have to figure out a way to tell who's who.

"Ok. Now that we got all that hoo-haw out of the way, let's go find somethin' to eat cause I'm starvin'!" Mari said and promptly walked into the house. Everyone else laughed and followed her inside.

x.x.x

The days and nights had all started to run together for Tom. The routine was always the same. They'd come in the morning and feed them. Food was served on a plastic plate, no utensils were provided. All of them had to resort to eating with their hands. They were given two meals a day.

After the morning meal, the cages were cleaned. The guards would force them all to turn with their backs to the doors. Their chain, which connected to the shackles and collar, would be unhooked from the cage. It was then connected to a main run in the center of the room. Once completed, the guards would open the cage doors and the dominants were forced out into the middle of the room. They had no choice — the chains were pulled by a mechanism on the run. If they tried to resist at all, the guards would hit them with an electric cattle prod.

Once out in the open, they were herded into an adjacent area while someone came in to clean the cages. This second area was where they were cleaned, if you could call it that. Showering didn't involve soap, just being hosed down with water. They were kept naked so clothing didn't hinder the process.

After their shower, they were returned to their cages where they spent the rest of their day. Technicians came in once a day and drew blood. Occasionally semen, urine or feces samples were demanded. No one asked for anything; you were told to give it and if you didn't, they took it. The cages made sure of that because they could be used to hold you immobilized.

During his first few days in captivity, the man in the black suit had come and asked questions. He'd wanted to know about his species and their capabilities. He stopped coming when Tom refused to answer him.

The other dominants spoke very little, most preferring the stay lost in their thoughts. Lewis no longer taunted him with snide remarks. When they spoke at all it was about mundane things or to provide encouragement to the other to maintain their steel resolve. Both he and Lewis, being the only Chameleons, tried to encourage the others and teach them ways of dealing with the humiliation and monotony.

Whenever Tom wanted escape, he'd let his mind wander to thoughts of Sloan. He ached to hold her. He would close his eyes and conjure up her image in his mind. He could almost hear her laugh and smell her perfume. One of his favorite memories was that of the brief time they'd spent in the motel. Although it was a fleeting moment, the memory of her kiss never failed to make him inwardly smile.

On more than one occasion Tom had caught Lewis looking at him strangely after one of his daydreams. He didn't care, they made his time a little more bearable. He swore to himself that he would eventually get out of this hell ... and he would find her.

On this particular morning something out of the ordinary happened. Shortly after the morning ritual, a newcomer was brought in. The cage was shoved into an open spot with little more than a glance by the guards. Tom looked at the young man, barely more than sixteen if he guessed correctly. He was obviously terrified as he held perfectly still — except his head which turned in fast, jerky movements as he looked at the other cages.

"I'm Tom." he called out to the young man in an effort to make him relax. The boy looked at him for a moment stunned as though he didn't quite comprehend what Tom had said. "I'm Scott" he answered quietly.

Tom nodded his head smiling slightly, "Where'd you come from Scott? Can you tell us anything about what is going on?"

"They caught me trying to hitchhike out of LA." Scott replied. "When the cops picked me up and I failed the DNA test, they locked me up. Men in military uniforms came to get me and now I'm here ... wherever here is."

Tom looked at him puzzled, "You failed a DNA test? Given by the police? I don't understand. Why would local law enforcement being doing DNA testing?"

"You've been here awhile haven't you? You don't know about what's going on right now?"

Tom shook his head, "You're right, I've been here a long time I think. I've lost track of the date. Please, tell us what's going on outside." Everyone else could be heard moving closer to the front of their cages to listen to the young man.

"Well, to start with, they picked me up two days ago ... on May 5th." Scott said. Tom let out a surprised gasp. He'd been here nearly four weeks!

"They've started routine DNA testing in all levels of government." Scott continued. "They also test anyone that they think looks or acts suspicious. We're being rounded up whenever possible. A lot of people are leaving the cities and going into hiding, which is what I was trying to do. The news is showing rioting and a lot of violence in cities all across the country. It's a scary place out there right now."

Tom was stunned by the news. He looked over at Lewis but his face was a stone mask. Tom could only guess at what his former mentor was thinking.

x.x.x

The group huddled in the living room talking amongst themselves. They'd spent most of the day discussing their options and planning their next move. It had been over a month since they'd taken refuge in the isolated ranch house. It was becoming increasing clear that they needed to get further out of the LA area, much to Ed's dismay. Sloan felt bad for Ed but even he finally agreed that, with the news reports they were seeing, they were no longer safe staying where they were.

"I feel our best option is to head into the mountains." David said. "There are a lot of isolated areas up there where we could hide."

"I think I'd have to agree with you." Walter nodded. "Our primary concern right now should be staying out of the crosshairs of my government. Did you have a specific area in mind?"

"Yes. The Sierra Nevada's." David looked at Walter, then around at the rest of the group. Slowly everyone nodded their heads.

"Ok, since we are all in agreement, I think we should begin making a list of the supplies we'll need." Mark stated. "We are heading into some pretty rough terrain, we'll all need four-wheel drive vehicles. We already have three here, I think we can get by with one more"

"We'll need camping gear." Dennis said. "Tents, sleeping bags, warm clothing, etc just in case we end up having to stay outside."

"We should take some medical supplies just in case someone is injured." Ed chimed in. "It's not like we can go to a hospital if someone gets hurts or sick, especially one of you guys."

_...We interrupt this broadcast for a CNN special news bulletin..._

_A startling discovery today still has law enforcement in the Washington DC area reeling. Ten US Congressmen were found dead in their homes, all apparently murdered over the course of the weekend. According to officials, their deaths were not discovered until today when they didn't show up for mandatory meetings scheduled at the White House. While investigations into the homicides continue, speculation by sources say it looks like the work of the Homo-Dominant movement. White House officials have said that the President of the United States is expected to address the nation sometime tomorrow on the growing problem..._

Everyone sat stunned for a moment, not wanting to believe what they'd just heard.

"Hmmm... What do you think Mark?" Walter asked. "You really think it was your people that are responsible for this?"

Mark squinted his eyes slightly thinking, "Maybe. It would be like them to send in a group of Chameleons to take out a threat. But ten Congressmen... I don't know."

"Exactly." Walter nods. "My feeling is that is was my government trying to further their own agenda."

"Well one thing is for certain, this pushes up our timetable." Dennis stated standing and walking toward the door. "We need to be out of here and on the road by tomorrow night."

"And there is something else we need to add to our list of supplies." Ray added. "Weapons and ammunition. Anyone here that doesn't know how to handle a gun is going to learn ... real fast."

"Walter, we need to go back into the city to get our belongings." Sloan said looking at Walter and then Mark. "When we packed up to come here, we didn't exactly plan for being gone forever."

"Sloan going into the city is too dangerous." Walter replied. "What could you possibly need there that you can't replace?"

"It's not so much what I have as what Tom left."

"I'm listening, go on." Walter stated looking at Mark.

"Well, you know Tom had pretty much moved into my apartment after everything that had happened with Lynch's clone. His things are still there. While I have no idea what's in those bags, we may find something we can use." Sloan leaned forward clasping her hands in front of her continuing. "Walter, you know how Tom was. He always had whatever device or weapon he needed and he always had money. He left two bags there, I want to get those out."

"Walter, she has a point." Mark said. "If Tom left any money or equipment with Sloan, we could use it."

"I don't like it but I will agree to it on one condition." Walter groaned. "I'm going with you. I don't want you going into the city alone. I'm much more experienced at spotting the types that would be looking for us than you are. I think we should bring Ed along too. He can gather the necessary medical supplies while we're there."

"How am I supposed to do that Walter?" Ed looks to the man in surprise. "I'm kinda known around the university in case you've forgotten. No one is going to let me walk in and just take it."

"Why Ed." Walter looks at him cocking his brow. "Haven't you ever heard of breaking and entering?"

John and David had been quietly listening to the conversation. Both laughed out loud at Walter's remark and Ed's expression.

Mark turned to David, "I want you and Dennis to go with them. The two of you can sense for any members of the militant dominant group that may be waiting for them. You can also get the camping supplies and vehicle we need."

"Sure, not a problem." David looked at Ed and grinned. "Not only have I heard of breaking and entering ... I'm not bad at hot wiring a car either."

x.x.x

The next day the five got an early start into LA. Sloan, Ed and David took her car while Walter and Dennis took Ray's. The plan was to leave both cars behind after they'd gotten their hands on another SUV. They didn't want to leave the cars behind at the ranch in case anyone decided to look there for them.

They were all in shock at the destruction they saw upon entering the city. Store fronts were broken and burned; debris littered the streets in some areas. The looting actually proved to be a blessing for them. It gave them the opportunity to get some of the items they needed without drawing a lot of attention to themselves.

The first thing they did was steal the SUV. They dropped Dennis off on a street with rows of auto dealers near Compton. Most of the dealerships were closed due to the rioting. They circled the block and saw him pull out with a Ford Excursion. Driving about five miles further, they spotted an auto wrecking yard. Pulling in they swiftly abandoned Ray's car.

David and Dennis turned out to be very resourceful at finding the rest of the supplies they needed. The two were able to get camping gear and weapons at a warehouse they knew of while Ed found his medical supplies in an abandoned clinic nearby.

The only thing left to do was get Tom's bags out of Sloan's apartment. They planned on leaving her car parked on the street. When they pulled up in front, Sloan was surprised to see her neighborhood pretty much in tact. After seeing others in the city, she'd expected more of the same. Dennis pulled up across the street and parked. He stayed behind with the motor running. Ed climbed into the back of the SUV with him to wait.

Sloan, David and Walter walked up to her apartment. She found her door closed with a note from her landlord asking her to call. Opening the door, the memories of the night Tom was taken hit her with full force. Everything was exactly as she'd left it. The barstool laid on its side in the floor. The table next to the chair where Tom had been sitting was overturned, the lamp lay nearby broken. She stumbled a bit as she tried to walk forward, Walter reaching out to grab her arm. She felt herself shaking as she tried to be strong.

"Sloan we need to hurry." Walter gently prodded. He removed his coat and laid it on the chair, then walked into her kitchen to survey the damage.

She nodded her head and walked toward her bedroom. Opening her closet doors, she pulled out the two bags Tom had left behind as well as his black coat. Donning his coat, she went to her dresser. She pulled out his clothes and shoved them into one of the bags. Turning, she picked them up and headed toward her front door. David was quickly at her side, taking the bags from her. He could sense the pain she was feeling and wanted to get her out of here as quickly as possible. Sloan lifted her chin stubbornly and told Walter she was ready. The three filed out of the apartment and down the stairs.

Just as they got to the street, Walter told David he'd left his coat behind and was going back up to get it. David nodded telling him they wait for him in the truck. David deposited the bags in the back and shut the door. Sloan was standing at the rear passenger window quietly talking to Ed.

Suddenly they heard a high pitch whine and the front of the florist shop exploded sending glass and stone flying. Flames leapt out of the store front as well as Sloan's apartment windows. Sloan watched in horror. Finding her feet, she ran toward her building screaming.

"WALTER!"

David chased after her, catching her by the waist. Sloan fought him hard, yelling for him to let go. Just then another building two doors down exploded in flames, glass and cinder block sailing through the air.

"WE GOT NO TIME!" Dennis yelled from the truck. "WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!"

Sloan was screaming hysterically. David spun her around and threw her over his shoulder. He moved as fast as he could back toward the truck. Ed, seeing his struggle, opened the back door.

David quickly handed her off to Ed. Slamming the door, he jumped in the front and Dennis floored the vehicle.

Sloan sobbed uncontrollably in the back as Ed held her tightly, rocking her, trying to provide comfort. Dennis dodged brick and mortar and glass as he drove as fast as possible to get back to the freeway. Buildings were going up in flames behind them as more rockets exploded. Seeing the freeway entrance ahead, Dennis pushed the truck even harder. He took the entrance on two wheels and accelerated into the curve that followed.

It didn't long for Dennis to see the exit for Route 2, he took it. While it may not be the fastest route possible, it would take them in the back way and avoid any unnecessary attention. All he cared about right now was getting back to the ranch. The sooner they got the hell out of the area, the better he would feel.

x.x.x


	2. Part 2 Eighth Fire Looming

**Part 2: Eighth Fire Looming**

Taking the Angeles Forrest Hwy they were making good time. Dennis took the winding mountain road as fast as he dared while still keeping a watchful eye out for authorities. Sloan's hysteria had finally died down. She sat motionless in the back seat, staring out the window and hugging Tom's black coat tightly around her. David turned on the radio and tuned to a news channel.

_... The is KNX1070 News Radio with a special report..._

_Explosions rocked several regions of the Los Angeles metropolitan area early this afternoon. Fire crews are on the scene battling blazes in at least twenty neighborhoods. Several key witnesses report seeing what can only be described as rockets just prior to some of the buildings going up in flames. Authorities are advising the public to stay out of these areas as emergency crews comb through the rubble searching for survivors._

_The mayor has declared much of the city a disaster area and has requested emergency aid from the federal government. According to an unnamed source close to the investigation, two people were arrested in the area of one of the explosions and have been taken into custody. While proof is still not available, they are believed to be members of the Homo-Dominant faction. Law enforcement officials reserved comment until the results of DNA testing are available later today..._

David and Dennis glanced at each other with grim faces but remained silent. Ed stirred uncomfortably in the back, now torn between his concern for Sloan and his growing fear that life as they knew it would never be the same.

x.x.x

The Excursion screamed up the drive at breakneck speed sending dirt and rocks flying. Slamming on the brakes, the back fishtailed as they came to an abrupt stop. Dennis and David jumped out of the SUV and raced toward the house. Having heard their arrival, Mark and Ray were already out the door with guns drawn.

"What the hell is going on?" Ray was the first to speak. "There are kids around here! You could have hit one of them!"

"We have got to get out of here NOW!" Dennis responded still catching his breath. "Los Angeles is a war zone, we barely made it out of there!"

Mark looked toward the truck to see Ed urging Sloan out of the back. "Where's Walter?" he asked looking back to the two dominants.

David's face was somber as he replied, "He's dead. He got caught in an explosion just as we were leaving Sloan's apartment."

"I take it Sloan saw the whole thing?" Ray asked grimly nodding in her direction.

"Yes. She hasn't said a thing since we left LA. I can sense her emotions, she's in shock." David replied looking toward her as well.

"Let's go inside." Mark stated turning toward the front door. "We've already started packing up. We need to finish quickly so we can get on the road. I want the whole story on what happened today. I also want to see the news before we head out."

"So that's it? We just pack up and leave?" Ray asked astonished. "No 'so sorry Walter's dead' or 'we're sorry for your loss', nothing? I understand that you people don't have feelings, but can't you be a little sensitive to what we humans are feeling?"

Mark stopped and looked at Ray, "What would you have us do? Stay here and risk capture? Walter wanted coexistence — he wanted us to work together toward peace. We can't do that if we're in a jail cell or dead now can we Ray?"

"And just for the record," Mark continued. "We have feelings. My people have very strong emotions, we've just learned to control them." With that, Mark turned and went into the house.

x.x.x

"I take it everything went well?" the man asked the smartly dressed woman sitting in front of his desk. He'd never really liked her but, she was the best at what she did. Her cold and calculating methods got results with razor sharp precision

"Everything is going perfectly according to plan." she replied smugly. "The wheels have been set in motion to escalate our response to the growing dominant threat. Those we have been able to detain have not been forthcoming but, it's just a matter of time."

"What about the ones being held at The Ranch?" he queried. "Have we gotten any useful information from them?"

"Not yet." she responded. "But we are planning on stepping up their treatment. They'll break eventually. We're going to begin testing to find out their status. We'll need that information to find out what went wrong and get the project back on track."

"You really think the dominants will respond by showing themselves once military forces are deployed?" the man questioned her further.

"I don't think they'll be able to resist." she replied, shifting in her chair. "Once we've forced them out into the open, we'll be able to eliminate the problem."

"Hmm... I hope you're right." he responded. "What about the President? Is he ready to respond in the manner we'd anticipated?"

"My man on the inside assures me that he is planning to deploy the National Guard and put the country in a state of Martial Law," she answered. "Once he's given the order, we'll be able to step in and take full control."

"Good." he said nodding his head in approval. "That's even better than I'd hoped."

x.x.x

The packing was completed and the SUVs loaded. Mark and the others turned on the evening news as they spread out maps in the floor.

_... and now the President of the United States..._

_... My Fellow Americans. As many of you know, we are faced with a new terrorist threat by a species calling themselves Homo-Dominant. Today, in Los Angeles and other cities across the United States, the Homo-Dominants declared war. Businesses were destroyed and many families are tonight without homes. In view of this growing threat to our security, I hereby declare a state of national emergency. I have activated the National Guard in all 50 states for the duration of this crisis. Further, I am placing the country in a state martial law._

_A curfew will be imposed in all cities from 10pm to 6am. Workplaces are asked to cooperate by adjusting their schedules to allow citizens to comply with this order. Anyone caught out after curfew will be taken into custody. Citizens are required to cooperate with the National Guard and local authorities. ..._

"What time is it?" Mark asked to no one in particular.

"Five o'clock" Dennis responded.

"That only gives us five hours." Ray added.

"Right. I think in light of the news we just heard, we should stick to secondary roads." Mark stated. "I want to get clear of Edwards and China Lake today. I don't want to be anywhere near a military base tomorrow."

"Good idea." Ray replied. "It will take them time to get troop deployment into full swing. They'll probably focus on Los Angeles and larger cities first. If we stick to back roads, we should be able to put plenty of distance between us and them by morning. We can probably even get away with driving all night."

Dennis nodded. "It's taking a chance but this may be the only time we'll get the opportunity. By tomorrow night, they'll have martial law in full force and we'll be forced to camp during curfew.

"We can stay mostly to back roads until we get to Mojave." Mark said looking at the map. "We can pick up Route 14 there and take that to 395. We can always get off 395 if things start to look serious. I'd like to make it to Sonora Junction tonight if possible." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"Now remember, stick to the speed limits. Don't draw any attention to yourselves." Mark continued. "We'll stay far enough apart that we can sense each other, but not appear to be together. Ray, I'll ride with you, that way if we get pulled over I can claim to be Grace's brother. Sloan and Ed will ride with Dennis and David. Sandra will be with John and Richard. I want at least one of us with you humans at all times so we can detect any danger."

"Alright, let's get the hell out of here." Dennis said grabbing the maps. "The longer we're here, the more nervous I get."

x.x.x

"I assume you've heard the latest news? Has the Assembly made their decision?"

"Yes."

"Are we going to proceed without Lewis?"

"It is unfortunate that Lewis is not available but we have his people. If it's war the humans want, it's war they'll get."

"Right then. I'll make the necessary arrangements."

"Good. They have no idea what they've started."

x.x.x

They made it to Sonora Junction by one o'clock in the morning. They'd been wise to take the risk, traffic had been exceptionally light. They took secondary roads off the highway, climbing into the mountains. Pavement turned to gravel then to dirt before they stopped. Satisfied they'd found a place isolated enough to hide, they setup camp.

Sloan shared a tent with Sandra and Mari. While the other two chatted quietly, she dug mechanically through Tom's bags for the first time. At the top, she found the black sweater he'd worn in Alaska. Taking off his coat, she removed the sweater from the bag and put it on. Beneath the clothing were the pistol he'd always carried and several other weapons. She found his binoculars as well as some cash. Buried at the bottom she found the photo of Tom as a boy with his mother. Staring at the picture, she traced the burnt edges with her finger as tears began to sting her eyes.

"You should write about it." Sandra said breaking into Sloan's thoughts. Sandra dug through her backpack and produced a spiral bound notebook. "Here ... use this." She said handing it to Sloan.

Sloan took the item and stared at it, looking back at Sandra as though she didn't understand.

"If you put your thoughts on paper," Sandra explained, "It will make it easier to sort them out ... and to come to terms with everything that's happening."

Sloan silently nodded her head, setting the notebook aside. She put Tom's coat back on and crawled into her sleeping bag. Closing her eyes, she thought of Tom ... and Walter ... and waited for sleep.

x.x.x

David woke early as usual. Crawling out of his tent, he went in search of coffee. Figuring he'd have to make it, he was surprised to find a fresh pot on the Coleman stove. Smiling inwardly, he grabbed two cups and walked toward the rocks up ahead.

He knew who he'd find here. Sloan sat with her back to him staring out over the hills. The site where they were camped was high enough to give a panoramic view of the surrounding area. David focused on Sloan, trying to sense her mood today. He found she was somewhat melancholy, but he didn't sense the despair she'd felt yesterday. Satisfied with her progress, he walked up to the rocks.

"Would you mind sharing some of that?" he asked nodding toward the sunrise and handing her a fresh cup of coffee.

She accepted the coffee with a small smile, "Sure, I think there's enough to go around."

David smiled back. They sat and silently watched the warm orange orb climb higher in the sky — the purple's and gold's giving way to blue as nature put on her morning show. A hawk soared in the distance adding its voice as accompaniment to the performance.

Finally turning to her, he noticed the notebook in her lap. "Are you starting a journal?"

Sloan looked at the book in her lap and nodded her head, "Yeah, I guess I am."

David felt a sudden surge of determination from her as she continued. "I want you to teach me to shoot."

David stared at her for a moment, "Ok. We were planning on that today. We want everyone to be able to defend themselves."

"No... you don't understand." Sloan shook her head and looked him in the eye. "I want to REALLY learn to shoot. I want to be able to pick up any weapon and use it. The way I see it, whether we like it or not, we're on the brink of a war. I'm not going to sit back on the sidelines and watch. I'll fight this with my last breath ... for Tom and for Walter."

Sloan stood then and walked back to her tent, disappearing inside. David closed his eyes and sighed, sadness tugging at his heart. He knew Sloan died a little inside yesterday. He wondered to himself how many more would fall before this was over ... how many more friends would have to die.

x.x.x

After the morning routine, Tom watched as the guards came and got one of the other dominants. They removed him from his cage and tightened his chains, dragging him from the room. They'd never taken one of them from the area before. He wondered to himself what they were planning now.

Tom could sense Scott's fear as they took the man away. He tried to help him control it but he was just a boy. He hadn't been through the training Tom had or seen the things he'd seen.

"Turn it inward." Lewis suddenly said. "When you feel fear, turn it inward ... and let it burn. The fire will become anger which is a much better shield."

"Don't you mean hate Lewis?" Tom asked. He remembered hearing this speech many times himself.

"The two are synonymous as far as I'm concerned. When you feel either you can tolerate anything." Lewis stated.

"I wonder what they're up to?" Tom thought out loud.

"I think it's pretty obvious, the stakes just got higher." Lewis replied. "It won't be long now."

Tom had no idea what that last comment meant. With Lewis, there was no telling. Even though he'd taught them all to suppress, even deny their emotions ... he secretly thought Lewis rather enjoyed being an enigma.

They all sat lost in their thoughts until they sensed it. The one they'd taken earlier was terrified. They could feel his agony, white hot like fire coursing through his veins. Then ... nothing.

The boy looked at Tom for guidance, panic in his eyes.

"Turn it inward Scott." Lewis repeated softly, closing his eyes. " ... let it burn."

x.x.x

Ed was the last one up. He staggered out of his tent blindly seeking coffee. He smiled when his nose picked up the scent. Pouring himself a cup, he plopped down on a rock content with sipping till his eyes could focus.

"Well good morning beautiful!" Mari laughed coming over to sit next to Ed. "You look like you been rode hard and put away wet!"

Ed looked at her out of one good eye and grunted.

Mari just laughed harder. "Sweetie, did you know your hair is standing straight up?"

Ed tried to ignore her.

"It's a good look for you I think." she continued. Ray stood nearby and chuckled.

Ed finally spoke, "Are you this cheerful every morning?"

"Well honey, 'ah hate to be the one to have to tell ya'll this," Mari replied with southern drawl in full swing, "But it ain't mornin' no more, it's noon." Laughing again, she got up and walked away.

"Damn!" Ed whistled. "I can't believe I slept so late."

"Yeah, most of us slept in." Ray said coming over to join him. "We were all up pretty late."

"So where is everybody?" Ed finally asked looking around.

"They all went out for target practice." Ray replied. "Mark and the others are teaching the girls and the college boys to fire a weapon."

"I bet Sloan's hating that." Ed said. "She hates guns."

"Well from what I was told this morning, Sloan had already been at it about two hours before everyone else got started." Ray stated. "And you my friend are next on the list as soon as you get enough of that coffee in you to see straight."

Both men turned when they heard the others coming near. Sloan was ambling up the rear with Dennis and David. Mark was talking to Grace and actually had a smile on his face.

"Ray, you have nothing to worry about." Mark said as he walked up still smiling. "Grace is a natural."

"Well that's good to hear," Ray looked at his wife. "At least I know if something happens, you and Matt have a chance."

Looking back at Mark, Ray asked in a quiet voice. "So how'd Sloan do?"

Mark turned serious, "She did very well. She was scoring 99 out of 100 with the pistol and the assault rifle by the time she was done. We still have to train her on the use of the cross bow, but I think she'll pick it up quickly."

"Whoa!" Ed exclaimed. "We have to learn to use all those?"

"No." Mark replied. "We're teaching Sloan all of them because she asked us to. The rest of you will be trained on a pistol only."

Ed was stunned with the revelation. He looked at his friend who was talking quietly with Dennis and David. Sloan was changing rapidly and he had no idea how to handle it. He knew the events of the last couple months were taking their toll on her, but yesterday something had snapped. He didn't think she'd ever be the same and missed his old friend already.

x.x.x

Later that night Sloan was huddled in her sleeping bag thinking. Unable to sleep, she crawled out. Grabbing a lantern and her notepad, she put on Tom's coat and walked out of the tent.

Sitting on a nearby rock, she lit the lantern and opened the notepad. Taking pen in hand, she began to write.

_... June 1, 1998_

_... My Dearest Tom,_

_I have no idea what I'm going to say. Sandra says it will help if I write so I'll try. We've joined up with the dominant peace faction and have gone into hiding. Although now I think the rules of the game have changed. It's now those that want peace against a government that's out of control, be it mine or yours._

_Walter's dead. He was killed yesterday. God that hurt, watching that building go up in flames. Knowing he was trapped and there was nothing I could do. For all the mistakes he made, Walter turned out to be a good friend. He brought us all together in the end._

_You've been gone almost 2 months now. I miss you so much it feels like my heart will explode. I can't get the picture out of my mind ... watching you shoved into that van ... powerless to do anything about it. I wear your sweater ... it smells like you. Maybe it's silly but it makes you feel closer._

_I've decided I'm not going to be helpless anymore ... I've had enough of that. I learned to shoot a gun today, you'd have been proud of me. The others ... your kind ... said I did really well._

_They are like you. They feel things ... emotions. You'd like them all I think._

_I will not think of you in the past tense. I refuse! You are out there somewhere; I can feel it. I'll find you I promise._

_I love you Tom. I hope you can feel that wherever you are. Know you are always in my heart and in my thoughts._

_Sloan..._

x.x.x

For a moment, Tom didn't realize where he was when he woke. He'd been dreaming of Sloan.

He could hear her talking softly to him, telling him she loved him. He felt the familiar dull ache in his chest and tried to think of something else.

Hearing the doors open, he looked up as the guards were dragging in the man they'd taken the day before. They'd tortured him ... or worse. He was catatonic and bathed in sweat. His eyes were black and swollen shut, deep purple bruises on his face. There were deep, angry red welts across his back and curious pock marks on his arms. Without a backward glance, the guards threw him in his cage, locked the door and left.

Tom looked toward Lewis who was sitting perfectly still, eyes closed. He understood what Lewis was doing — he was, after all, the master. The student settled back, closing his eyes, he reached out to that to that place Lewis had taught him. It was only a matter of time till the guards came for him, he needed to be ready to face the demon.

x.x.x

They'd been camped about two weeks when John and Dennis came rushing up early one afternoon. The two had been out exploring the surrounding area, looking for resources and dangers. They'd found a cabin, apparently abandoned. The two along with Mark, Ray and David went back to check it out. Returning a few hours later, the men reported it appeared safe. The group decided sleeping indoors and hot shower would be welcome. They broke camp and headed for the shelter.

The going was slow to get there by auto, even with the four-wheel drive. The cabin was remote, the road leading to it nothing more than a trail. It was nestled high in the hills overlooking a river, surrounded by pine and fir trees.

The cabin itself was built out of logs — roomy with three bedrooms, bath, kitchen and living room. The furnishings were simple and rustic, typical of mountain cabins. A huge stone fireplace stood at the end of the living room, covering the entire wall. They found two large propane tanks in the back to power a generator for electricity and hot water. A check of both confirmed they were full of fuel.

Pleased with their discovery, they unloaded their belongings, apart from the camping gear. Sleeping arrangements were decided, with each family getting a room. It was agreed that since Sloan, David, Mari and Dennis were the early risers, they'd bunk in the living room leaving the remaining bedroom to the rest.

They found fishing gear in a closet, along with hunting rifles and ammo. John, Richard and Ray went down to the river to catch dinner while the rest went to work clearing the thick layer of dust that covered everything in the cabin. They'd found a good stock of canned goods in a pantry in the kitchen. When the men returned, they cooked their first decent hot meal in a two weeks.

That night after the kids were all in bed, the adults sat around the living room enjoying the roaring fire they'd built in the massive fireplace. They hadn't dared build a fire were they'd been camped for fear of discovery by rangers. It felt good to be warm for once.

There was a working radio on a table in a corner. Someone finally got up and turned it on, they were all anxious for news. In their haste to get out of the LA area, the one thing they'd forgotten to grab was a portable radio.

_... rioting has intensified in cities across America as the National Guard has moved in and established a presence. Suspected Homo-Dominants as well as human sympathizers are being detained and moved to internment camps for interrogation and testing. Random DNA testing has been expanded to include all local businesses and schools. Local curfews have been adjusted from 6pm to 6am in an effort to curb the violence. In cooperation with local authorities, FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has stepped in to assist. Freedom of speech watchdog groups and the ACLU have waged protests saying citizen's rights are being violated with the increasing crackdown ..._

Ed got up and turned off the radio. "This just gets scarier by the minute. Now they are arresting human sympathizers too?"

Mark nodded his head, "I have a feeling this is just the beginning. It's going to get a lot worse."

"How long do you think it will be before the militant members of your species retaliate?" Ray asked.

"I'm surprised they haven't already." Dennis replied. "I have no doubt they're gearing up to strike back using every Chameleon they have."

"From what Tom told me, I thought Chameleons were assassins ... not soldiers." Sloan stated

"Think of them like the Special Ops of your military." Mark answered. "They are numerous and deadly."

"Won't it be a hindrance to them having Lewis out of the picture?" Sloan asked

Mark shook his head, "No. Just like your military, they are trained to function independent of Lewis. He may be the Commander but there are Captains to fill in his place."

Everyone fell into silence. Each contemplating the war looming on the horizon.

x.x.x

It was the dead of night. The streets had long been cleared due to the mandatory curfew. Three men dressed in black cammies slid up behind a rooftop air conditioner. Each carried an M60 on their shoulder and a pack containing explosives. The leader of the group pulled his binoculars from his pack and surveyed the street below.

Six U.S. Marines were standing watch around a barricade at the entrance ramp to the freeway, their Humvee off to the side. All freeways in the cities had been closed down, declared off limits except to military personnel. The soldiers didn't hear the lone Chameleon slide under their vehicle and place the phosphorus explosives. They didn't notice as he returned to the shadows behind the embankment.

The leader on the rooftop pulled a radio from his pack. "Bravo leader, this is Team One. We are in position."

"Roger Team One. Standby." The voice crackled through radio.

The communication continued as hundreds of teams reported in, the action repeated in all the major cities.

"This is Bravo Leader. All teams ... we are a go, repeat, we are a go." The radio crackled again.

Suddenly explosions lit up the night as hundreds of carefully placed bombs went off. Gunfire rained on unsuspecting troops from rooftops and black helicopters that had appeared out of nowhere. Screams rang out as soldiers fell, blood running through the streets in rivers. The air hung heavy with the smell of gunpowder and smoke and death.

As the chaos ensued, another scene played out at several military bases across the country — all homes to F-117 stealth fighters. The living hell in the cities served as a diversion for Chameleons, trained as pilots, as they quietly snuck onto flightlines. Soldiers guarding the planes were silently killed, necks broken or throats slit. The intruders jumped into the fighters and fired up the engines. The planes roared down the runways and lifted into the air, heading for locations unknown.

x.x.x

The guards came in to get another of their group that morning. This time however they didn't settle for just anyone, they took Lewis. They roughly pulled him from his cage and jerked his chains tight. Lewis looked at Tom as they drug him from the room, he face a stone mask. Tom felt a dread creep up from his gut. He knew something new had happened, he just didn't know what.

Lewis was brought to a room containing only a table and a chair in the shadows. He was hung from steel beams in the ceiling, arms spread wide. His feet were secured to anchors in the floor. He braced himself as he watched the guard walk in with the whip, knowing what was coming next. The whip cracked as it was brought down on his back, the sound of it reverberating through the air. His body jerked from the force as he felt the fire from the strike. His back burned as they beat him mercilessly, welts rupturing into bloody lesions. He'd lost count of the number of lashes when he finally passed out.

The woman had been watching via a remote camera feed. Rising from her chair, she entered the room. She stared at the man hanging from the ceiling in contempt. Directing a guard to wake him up, she leaned against the table. The guard turned on a pressure hose and Lewis was hit with cold water at full force. He sputtered and shook his head, sending water spraying out around him. Looking up at the woman standing in the shadows, he fixed her with a deadly stare.

"Well Lewis, it's good to see you again.," she said with a malicious grin on her face. "I need information and you are going to give it to me."

"It seems your people attacked our soldiers last night and stole quite a number of our stealth fighters." she continued. "I need to know were those planes were taken."

Lewis remained silent. He fantasized to himself how good it would feel to kill her.

"So, you're going to be stubborn huh?" she asked obviously not pleased. "Well ... that suits me fine. I have all the time in the world."

Removing a shaker of salt from her pocket, she removed the top and poured the contents into her hand. She walked up to the dominant and glanced at him briefly as she walked around behind him. Smiling, she raised her hand and ground the salt into the open gashes on his back. Lewis cried out in agony but didn't speak.

Walking back around to face him, she smirked, "Still got nothing to say?" She looked up into those cold blue eyes but got no response. "Fine."

She strode toward the exit looking at the guard, "Take him to the lab." Opening the door, she left the room.

x.x.x

David and Dennis had taken Sloan out in the woods early for target practice. This morning they were teaching her to use the cross bow. They'd hiked about ten miles before settling on a location. Sloan's aim was dead on as she repeatedly hit the targets they set up for her.

Suddenly David and Dennis froze. They sensed someone nearby ... humans. Sloan saw their reaction and stayed silent. They scurried up an embankment and looked down at the pass below. There were three soldiers in full battle gear coming up through the woods. Sloan stayed where she was while the guys climbed higher to get a better look. She heard a twig snap and looked over to see a soldier coming out of the trees. He'd already seen her friends and was pulling his rifle over his shoulder to take aim.

Sloan didn't think as she flattened herself against the embankment. She didn't blink as she brought the cross bow up to her shoulder and readied the arrow. She didn't feel as instinct took over ... she took careful aim and let the projectile fly. Her aim was true as the arrow found its mark, sinking deep into the man's chest. The soldier's final look was one of surprise as he dropped to his knees and fell face forward.

David and Dennis had heard the whisper of the arrow when she'd fired the cross bow and the thud as the man fell dead. They quickly shimmied back to Sloan's position and climbed off the embankment to hide the body. They allowed themselves a brief moment to study Sloan who hadn't moved from where she lay. David focused on her but picked up nothing, she was dazed. While Dennis went off to take care of the other soldiers, David crawled back to her and gently touched her arm.

She looked up at him with huge eyes, "I had to. He was going to kill you."

"I know." he whispered nodding his head. "We have to leave."

She nodded her head and followed him down from their perch. Dennis returned carrying the other soldier's weapons. Walking up to Sloan, he handed her a combat knife still in its sheath.

"Take it.," he said with new found respect in his eyes. "You earned it." Turning to David he added, "I hid their bodies in a gully and covered it with brush. No one will find them. As long as they didn't radio in their position, we should still be safe." Holding up a handheld radio, " Just in case, I grabbed this."

As the group made their way back, Sloan replayed the events in her mind. She tried to analyze her feelings and was surprised to find she felt no regrets ... no remorse. She was confident she'd done what she had to do. "He was going to kill them." she thought to herself.

When they returned to the cabin, David and Dennis pulled Mark aside to relay what had gone down. Ray noticed the concern on their faces and walked over to join the conversation. All turned and looked at Sloan when they got to the part she'd played.

Ray looked at the others, "I'll go check on her." Mark nodded his head but remained behind.

Ray walked up to the porch where Sloan sat stone like. He surveyed her carefully, then sat down beside her.

"How you holding up?" he asked her, concern in his voice.

"I killed a man." she responded woodenly without looking at him.

"From what I just heard, you saved their lives." Ray stated.

She nodded looking at Ray for the first time. "Yes. But shouldn't I feel something? Shouldn't I feel bad for what I've done, even if it was necessary?"

"In ordinary times, I'd say yes." Ray replied. "But these are not ordinary times Sloan... Did I ever tell you I was in the military?"

Sloan shook her head and he continued. "I did a tour in Vietnam. I still remember the first man I killed. We were out on patrol and walked into an ambush. There I stood, eye to eye with a VC. I knew he was going to kill me if I didn't get him first."

Ray sighed as he stared ahead unseeing. "I was numb at first, with what I'd done. But I wanted to live. I knew it was him or me and I was damned determined it wasn't gonna be me."

"Survival?" Sloan asked.

Ray looked at her pointedly. "That's right Sloan. Survival."

x.x.x

That night Sloan couldn't sleep. She sat writing by firelight, still wearing Tom's sweater. Ed had stopped questioning her about why she wouldn't take it off. He'd figured out it didn't have to make sense, it just was.

_... June 17, 1998_

_... My Dearest Tom,_

_We found a cabin where we are now staying. It beautiful here. I wish it were just me and you and I could hide from all of this. ... I just want it to all go away. I want to be somewhere safe with you where no one can find us. Is that such a terrible thing to ask for? God! Will things ever be normal again?_

_I killed a man today. There. I said it. I have no idea how you will feel about it. I'm not sure I know how I feel about it ... I'm still numb. Ray says what I feel right now is normal and will go away with time. It was a soldier from the military. We were out in the woods and he was going to kill David and Dennis. I just reacted. Before I knew what happened he was dead and I'm the one that did it._

_Sometimes I wonder if I'm losing my mind. I keep telling myself I have to hang in there. This will all be over eventually and I have to be strong._

_Tom, I wish I knew where you were. I want to put my arms around you and never let go. Please be safe. I love you._

_Sloan._

x.x.x

They'd decided to stay put for the time being — monitoring the military radio they'd recovered. It had been five days since they'd encountered the soldiers in the forest. They determined they had been acting alone since they heard no mention of a search.

Sloan continued to practice her weapon skills. She now wore the knife she'd 'earned' on her belt. Ed was growing more concerned about his friend as she became more remote. He sat on the porch this late afternoon watching Sloan go through her paces. Mari startled him when she came up and sat down beside him.

"Hey." Ed said to her still watching Sloan.

Mari stared hard at him for a few moments before she finally spoke, "Have you ever considered talking to her about it?"

"Do you have to just read my mind like that?" Ed said. "That really unnerves a person you know."

Mari chuckled, "Well I wasn't exactly 'reading your mind', but if that's what it takes to get you to talk, then yeah ... I'll read you. Not that figuring out what's bugging you takes much. Hell, a human could figure it out without much trouble."

"Mari, I have no idea what I'd even say." Ed sighed. "She's changed so much. She's not Sloan anymore. She wears Tom's clothes constantly ... and that damn knife. The only thing she seems interested in is practicing with that cross bow. She hardly has two words to say to anyone except maybe David or Dennis."

"Ed. Look at what she's gone through. You can't expect her to have not changed after all that." Mari replied. "Grief and anger does funny things to people."

"I'm angry about everything that's happened but you don't see me doing what she's doing." Ed stated.

"No." Mari said nudging him hard in the side. "I see you sitting around sulking about your friend and your lost lifestyle. No offense intended Ed, but truth is truth. Sloan felt helpless about what was going on around her. But instead of brooding about it, she decided to do whatever she felt was in her power. Now maybe you don't agree with her choices, but ya damn sure got to admire her tenacity."

"As for Tom's clothes," she continued. "I can't believe you are that dense. She loves the man, she misses him ... and she's worried about him. If wearing his clothes brings her some comfort, don't begrudge her that."

Mari got up and left Ed to think about everything she'd just said. After careful consideration, Ed decided Mari was right. He had been sulking and he'd been selfish about not looking at Sloan's choices as her own ... and her feelings. He decided he was going to tell her that too, first chance he got.

x.x.x

That night they ate deer meat and canned vegetables. The guys had gone hunting after everyone complained they were getting tired of fish. After dinner they turned on the news.

_... the landscape in cities across the country today can only be described as a war zone. Security has been tightened further in response to the attacks last week by the Homo-Dominant faction. Evacuations are underway in many areas as the military braces for a new round of attacks. There is no news yet out from the White House as people across America wait to hear what is being done to put an end to the growing nightmare. ..._

_... According to a source who spoke to us on the condition of anonymity, roughly fifty F-117 stealth fighters were stolen by Homo-Dominants on the night of the attacks. When asked for details on this rumor, the National Security Advisor, John Maxwell, had nothing to say..._

_... In other news, thousands of US soldiers were laid to rest today in national cemeteries across the nation, killed in explosions set by the Homo-Dominants. ..._

No one in the room said a word as Sloan quietly got up and went outside. Ed mustered up some courage and followed her out the door. He found her sitting on some rocks next to the ridge overlooking the river. The moon light cast an eerie glow on the dense trees and water below. He silently sat down next to her. Putting both arms around her, he gave her a big hug. They sat like that for a long time listening to the chirp of crickets.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked her softly. Finally settling back keeping an arm draped across her shoulder.

"Ed." she looked up at him with large wounded eyes. "I don't think there's anything anyone can do. Not anymore."

x.x.x

_... June 23, 1998_

_... Dear Tom,_

_They say on the news that the Dominants attacked US troops. Cities are being evacuated. The whole world has gone insane._

_I can't write anymore today._

_Sloan..._

x.x.x

The President sat behind his desk and looked at his advisors gathered around the large conference table.

"Are we ready to respond?" he demanded of the group.

"Sir, we are still assessing the intel we received. We are trying to determine their exact locations, but as of yet have been unable to." John Maxwell answered.

"Well we can't just sit here and do nothing!" the President bellowed. "I want action. Our sitting on our duffs does not look good in the eyes of the American people!"

Looking at the Joint Chiefs, the President stood, "I want a plan drawn up and ready in the next five days." He walked toward the exit calling over his shoulder, "We'll go with whatever intel we have, but I want a response ready yesterday gentlemen."

x.x.x

Lewis had been gone two weeks when they finally drug his battered body back to his cage. His breathing came in short labored gasps. His back and face a bloody mass of welts and open sores. His arms and legs were missing patches of skin that had obviously been surgically removed.

Tom looked at him and focused. Lewis was suffering terribly, the pain rolled off him in waves.

Lewis opened his eyes and looked at Tom, "They're going to attack." he said in a raspy voice.

"Lewis, save your strength." Tom said softly.

"No ... no time." Lewis was starting to cough as he struggled to sit up. "We ... we stole ...their planes. They're going to ... going to attack.

"They're ... testing." Lewis coughed harder spitting up blood. "Get them out Tom ... you have to ... have to get them out. "

Lewis was panting now, unable to get enough air in his lungs. He laid back down, continuing to stare intently at Tom. "The answers ... the questions ... it's all here."

Tom was straining against the front of his cage — holding onto the bars, his knuckles white. He watched as the life slowly drained from his mentor's blue eyes. Tom gripped the bars harder, throwing his head back he let out an anguished howl.

x.x.x

Sloan and David were watching the sunrise as was their norm. They chatted quietly as they sipped their coffee. The morning chill was gone. Spring was giving way to summer.

"David, I'm curious about something." Sloan stated turning to look at him. "Do you know anything about your species history? Tom had his memories erased as a child. He didn't know anything about your people."

"Well, to tell you the truth Sloan, I'm afraid there's not much I can tell you either." he replied. Anticipating her next question with a smile, "No, I didn't have my childhood memories erased like Tom. It's just that we didn't talk about it much when I was a kid."

"Really?" Sloan was surprised. "How come? I would have thought your history and culture would be important to your people. That information would have been handed down."

David chuckled, "There's something about me that you don't know. My mother was human. I was raised in a human environment. My father wanted to stay as far away from the society as possible."

"Are you serious?" Sloan exclaimed, a huge smile lighting up her face. "You are from mixed parents?"

David studied her reaction for a moment. "You seem pretty happy to hear that, almost relieved I think. Mind telling me why that is?"

"Well, we'd found a boy not too long before Tom was taken." Sloan shuddered with the memory. "His mother was human and his father dominant. He was a monster. He could control your mind."

"Ok." David nodded his head in understanding. "I get it now. You thought you and Tom wouldn't be able to have kids together."

Sloan nodded her head. "Yeah. We figured it wouldn't be safe. Seems kinda trivial now when you think about it; worrying about having kids that is. I'm more worried whether I'll ever see him alive again."

The morning calm was interrupted by the sound of jet engines high overhead. They both jumped up and ran to a position where they could see more clearly — meeting Mari and Dennis in the process. All craned their necks looking into the blue cloudless sky. They could see the wispy trails the engines left behind, but not the planes themselves.

Suddenly they heard explosions in the distance and a pattering sound ... like gunfire far away. They headed inside the cabin and rushed to turn on the radio.

_...this is a Special Report..._

_... this morning the US armed forces responded to the Homo-Dominant attacks on June 16th by launching a military offensive aimed at secret Homo-Dominant installations. The locations of these installations were the result of intelligence reports obtained in the last week. The air strikes were launched in several cities across the country. While details of the attacks are still not known, we will bring you updates as they become available. ..._

The others had come down stairs after hearing the commotion. All were looking to see what the excitement was about when they'd heard the broadcast. Each member of their group was frozen in place, staring at the radio as if it were a bomb.

"I can't believe we are using military force on our own soil." Ray stated shaking his head, his shock evident.

"We should plan an escape route just in case we need it." Mark said looking at the others. "They may decide to start raiding the hills. From here on out, we'll have to be ready to move at a moments notice."

x.x.x

The pilot of the F-16 had his target. He lined up the large warehouse on the edge of Sacramento in his sights. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He thought to himself as he waited for the tone to tell him he was locked on. Once he heard the signal, he pressed the trigger and the missile rushed toward its destination. It exploded on impact sending flames shooting high into the sky. He soared on to his next objective without a backward glance knowing the cameras attached to the plane's underbelly got the whole show.

The scenario played out across the country. The rain of rapid gunfire and missiles from the fighters causing mass destruction as buildings erupted in violent explosions. Glass and mortar and debris flying out in all directions with such force, it wiped out anything in its path. Large warehouses in rural areas were destroyed as well. Anything that was big enough to be suspected as a dominant installation was a target.

The carrier group Nimitz stood thirty miles off the coast of Los Angeles. The full complement had been deployed; two cruisers, two destroyers and a frigate. The enormous aircraft carrier stood ready as its F-18 Hornets were catapulted down the flightdeck at 180 miles per hour. The battle cruiser Princeton prepared its attack. The targets had been programmed in and the gunners readied the launchers. The cruise missiles met their mark, all except for one. It missed by several miles, landing instead on Los Alamos ... home of the National Laboratory.

The facility was destroyed, there were no survivors. It was what the government termed acceptable losses. The lab had been working on a project for the military. That effort would have to be moved to another location unfortunately. They had been developing a new biological agent that could be used against the dominants. They had almost been ready for testing but that would be delayed. It was a setback but they'd manage.

x.x.x

_... June 30, 1998_

_... My Dearest Tom,_

_The military attacked cities today. I fear there'll be nothing left standing worth going back to._

_This is no longer about dominants vs humans. It's gone way beyond that now. It's those of us that want peace against those that would choose war._

_We are planning an escape route. I have a feeling we'll be leaving soon. We're heading to Nevada. There are some caves there on a reservation where we can hide._

_I found out today that David's mother was human. It made me happy to know we have a chance, although that all seems so far away now._

_I hate to leave this place, it's so beautiful here. I wish you could have seen it. Maybe when this is all over and we find each other, we can come back up here for awhile. Just the two of us._

_We will find each other. I have to keep believing that or I'll go crazy. I love you Tom._

_Sloan..._

x.x.x

They'd been keeping close tabs on the news, waiting for signs it was time to leave. Their route was planned. They kept the SUVs packed for a faster getaway. Once they came out of the hills, they'd gas up at Sonora Junction. From there, they'd take Highway 395 into Nevada. When they crossed the Nevada border, they'd get off on back roads into the hills of the reservation. They figured the reservation would be a safe haven from ground troops at least, since it was protected land.

Just as they were finishing up breakfast, someone turned on the news. All attention was riveted to the radio.

_... while air attacks on facilities last week did not yield the results the military was hoping for, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs said today in a news conference that the armed forces are gearing up for the next step in their plan. He stated that intelligence reports indicate that large numbers of Homo-Dominants, along with human sympathizers, are suspected to be hiding in mountain areas of California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. While he would not go into detail on plans, sighting issues of National Security, he did say that ground troops are being prepared to root out the enemy dissidents..._

Everyone scrambled at once, grabbing the few belongings scattered around the cabin. Instructions were shouted and car doors slammed as they jumped into their assigned vehicles. Dust flew as tires fought for traction. The SUVs raced down the mountain trail toward Nevada.

x.x.x


	3. Part 3 The Dark Side of the Moon

**Part 3: The Dark Side of the Moon**

_"Self righteousness is the art form of our time."  
- Garrison Keillor_

_"The truth is a lie which has yet to be revealed."  
- Michael Wolf_

Sloan clutched her journal tightly to her chest. In her haste to get out of the cabin, she'd almost forgotten it. They reached Sonora Junction in just a couple of hours. They stopped at a general store on the outskirts of town to get gas and supplies before continuing on to Nevada.

Sloan was browsing when she noticed a rack of greeting cards set off to the side. She walked over and started aimlessly looking at them when one caught her eye. It had a red rose on the front with the inscription _Do You Really Know How Much You Mean to Me?_ Pulling it from its slot, she opened it.

_Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, shivering from fright  
Feeling empty, feeling nothing because  
I think about how it would be if you weren't here  
And then I wonder if you really know how very much you mean to me  
How incredible I think you are  
How you are a part of all my emotions  
How you are the deepest meaning in my life  
Please always know  
that I love you more than anything else in the world_

_-Poem by Susan Polis Schutz_

She ran her hand across the inside, remembering the first time she'd told Tom she loved him. She had told him he gave her life purpose. This card said everything she couldn't say. It put it all in words as though the author had read her thoughts. She grabbed the matching envelope and headed for the cash register.

Sloan laid down her journal and pulled her wallet from her purse. The man behind the counter was the friendly type, an older fellow with gray curly hair and wire rimmed glasses. He chatted merrily at her, asking her if the card was for her boyfriend. She smiled at the term, she'd never thought of Tom as a 'boyfriend' before.

Suddenly Dennis came rushing into the store yelling something about aircraft and that they had to go. She quickly grabbed her purchase and ran out the door. The four trucks raced out of the parking lot before the man could catch up with her. She'd left her journal behind.

"Well," he thought to himself. "I'll hang onto it, she'll be back for it."

x.x.x

This morning found Tom thinking about Lewis and the struggle of his species. It had been a little over a week since Lewis died. The guards had unceremoniously come and taken his body away. While Tom had hated the things his mentor had done and the control he exerted over him, he mourned his loss. He'd known Lewis most of his life. He was the only family Tom had ever had, if you could call it that. He'd gotten to know another side of Lewis while they were in captivity. A side Lewis would refuse to admit to ... he'd actually cared.

"Lewis would roll over in his grave if he heard that," Tom thought to himself.

Tom also understood much better now the hatred Lewis always had for humans. He had been imprisoned here about three months, if his calculations were correct. The humans he'd encountered in the facility were cold, cruel and unmerciful. They'd humiliated them all and tortured a few. He was finding it harder and harder to feel anything positive towards humans ... except for Sloan.

Sloan was his anchor, his constant. She kept him from slipping into madness. She was kind and caring, everything these people were not. He had memories he favored when he needed her the most. The motel, the cabin, his day as human, and the night he told her he'd never leave her. He mentally kicked himself for being in this cage, for breaking his spoken vow. His reasonable mind knew that it wasn't his fault, but he still felt at some level that he should have tried harder, fought more, been stronger ... something ... to have kept from being captured. He worried if she was safe ... and he secretly wondered if she missed him as he did her.

x.x.x

The room looked very much like NASA mission control, but this was not Houston. This facility was deep underground and it didn't belong to the government. This was strictly a dominant operation.

At row after row of consoles, engineers were deep in concentration on the task at hand. Large view screens at the front of the room detailed images of communications networks across the country. Satellite circuitry and uplinks were displayed. The Internet backbone nodes were mapped showing the major routes and concentrations of traffic at any given time. Monitors hung overhead announcing statistics that updated continuously.

Systems and computer experts were busily typing away as the countdown was displayed on the large digital clock at the front of the room...

02:53:21

... a little under three hours to go.

You could almost cut the tension in the room with a knife. Men rushed back and forth between consoles carrying printouts and notes. Technicians would rapidly type on their keyboards and bring up new information on their displays. People talked in hushed tones. Everyone had a sense of urgency about them that was electrifying.

"Are we almost ready?" asked a man standing at the back of the room observing the flurry of activity.

"Yes." replied the supervisor. "The virus is in place, all we have to do is activate it. Once it is set into motion, it will take their tracking programs off-line, as well as wipe out their systems. We can then proceed to hack past the firewalls and take over their comms.

"What about their weapons systems?" the man queried again.

"Once we have control of their comms, there'll be nothing they can do. The majority of their weapons are controlled via satellite or computer. We'll have those as well as the Internet and telephone hubs." the supervisor stated with pride.

"Good. And they won't be able to get control back?"

"No sir. We are planning on shutting the satellites down. The Internet and telecomm will be redirected to our own network. They'll be dead in the water."

x.x.x

When Dennis had heard the aircraft overhead, he instantly knew they where military. The jet engine roar of the F-16s was unmistakable as they raced toward the mountains. He'd heard the shelling start as they'd peeled out of the parking lot.

"That was close." Dennis said breathlessly from behind the wheel, still trying to calm himself.

"Yeah." Ed agreed. "A little too close."

After traveling about ten miles, Sloan let out a groan. "Damn!"

"What?" David turned in the passenger seat abruptly to look at her with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I left my journal back at that store!" Sloan stated with obvious irritation.

"We can't go back to get it." David said quietly knowing how much it meant to her. "You know that."

"Yeah." Sloan sighed hugging herself. "I know."

They stayed on Route 395 trying to blend in with the other traffic. While it was light, they'd be less conspicuous on the main highway from the air than they would on back roads.

x.x.x

00:10:43

"Is everyone ready?" the supervisor called through the overhead audio system. "Standby. We are getting ready to start the final countdown."

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Proceed!"

Fingers flew across keyboards as the computer virus was activated and they started hacking into the nation's communications systems. They worked in teams with each concentrating on a specific area. While one team worked on the military's defense systems, another attacked the civilian telephone network. Still another tolled away on the Internet backbone initiating large scale Denial of Service attacks. All the teams worked in synchronization with the practiced skill of an orchestra.

They watched the monitors in anticipation as one by one satellites went off line.

"They've discovered us in the telephone network!" someone shouted. "They are trying to reverse engineer our blocks."

"Same here for the Internet!" another added. "I'm doubling the DoS traffic against the backbone nodes."

The virus the dominants had installed was destroying everything in its path. Databases were being wiped out and operating systems rendered useless. They just had to continue blocking defensive efforts by the humans until it could finish doing its job.

x.x.x

"Sir, we've lost communication uplinks to our satellites." the airman at the console stated to the Captain standing behind him.

"Well get them back!" the Captain said sternly as he watched the monitors for their systems in horror.

"I'm trying sir, but nothing I do is working." the airman replied with great concern. "It appears as though the units have been taken off-line."

The Captain was starting to get frantic. "Damn it! We have to get those uplinks back! Without them, our weapons systems are useless."

Another person shouted from across the room, "Sir. I've lost remote access to the DOD network routers. Someone has initiated large-scale Denial of Service attacks against the Internet backbone. They've locked us out of our own network."

"Someone patch me through to the Joint Chiefs." the Captain finally stated. "We are under attack and we have to advise them."

"We can't sir. The telephone network is completely down."

x.x.x

They'd been listening to the radio for news as they traveled when it suddenly went dead. The announcer came on after a few moments of silence and apologized. He said the program feed from their main station had gone down. He put on some music tracks he had locally, saying they were looking into the problem.

Deciding silence was better than the music, David turned it off.

"That's kinda odd." Ed stated from the backseat. Dennis looked at him in the rearview mirror and shrugged.

"When do we cross the border?" Sloan asked staring at the desert landscape rushing by through her window. She was still cursing herself for leaving her journal behind.

"We just did." Dennis replied as he turned off road and headed out across the flat land toward the hills up ahead.

x.x.x

The status boards at the dominant operations center continued to update as all communications traffic across the country slowly came to a halt. One by one, lights indicating Internet, Telephone, and Satellite systems blinked out as they went down. The once crowded and brightly lit board was rapidly growing dark.

Turning to the man from the assembly, the supervisor announced, "Sir. We will have full control of all communications and computer systems within the hour."

"Good. Let our pilots know that they can begin their operation."

The F-117s were on the flightline of the hidden dominant base waiting for word to take off. The pilots were to take out the main targets for the humans' government. Major military installations were on the list as well. With the humans' anti-weapons systems offline, they would have no advance warning.

x.x.x

The communication industry was in an uproar. Local telephone companies could not control their equipment. The dominant hackers had installed blocks on all ports that would allow anyone to backdoor in. Television broadcasts were not possible because satellites were offline. A few radio stations were able function on limited shortwave for local broadcasting, but news was not available. ATM and credit card machines stopped functioning. Commercial transportation came to a halt because communication was impossible. The Internet was completely dead.

The military was experiencing more of the same. The DOD network was silent. Radar, air traffic control, and early warning systems were all dark. Deployment and tracking of naval ships, aircraft, and missiles was non-functional. The Naval Observatory and the World-Wide ROTSE-III Network went down.

x.x.x

"Mr. President. We have a grave situation." The General stated standing ramrod straight at the door of the Oval office.

"Yes General?" the President replied. "What is it?"

"Sir. We are under a massive electronic attack by the Homo-Dominants." the General answered. "We have lost all communications. Telephones, satellites and Internet access are all down sir."

"Well what are we doing about it?" the President queried.

"Everything we can sir, but all our efforts are being blocked." the General replied. "In light of this new development, we feel it is time for us to move you to a more secure location."

"Very well." the President stated rising from his chair. "I want continuous updates on the situation."

x.x.x

The V formation of aircraft went unnoticed in the skies as they raced silently for their destination. The pilot broke off from formation when his target appeared ahead on the heads-up display. He had the white dome of the building lined up in his sights within minutes. When he got the tone that indicated he was locked on his mark, he impassively pressed the button on his control stick to fire his missiles. On the ground below, the Capitol Building erupted into a violent inferno. Satisfied he'd accomplished his mission, the pilot broke right to return to formation.

The dominant pilots were relentless in their attack. Their missiles took out the White House within minutes of the President's departure. The Pentagon was a smoldering mass of brick and mortar. China Lake and Edwards AFB were gone. Many other military installations had been hit as well, with many more on the list of targets.

The humans had been caught completely by surprise. The stealth technology of their own aircraft had kept the F-117s from being seen until it was too late. Their anti-weapons and early-warning systems couldn't respond. They'd stood by helplessly and watched as everything was turned into hell on earth.

x.x.x

They were hidden deep in the secret underground facility at Mount Weather in Bluemont, Virginia. They had gotten out of Washington just before the historic mansion exploded in a ball of flame. The elite guards had gotten the President to safety. His entire cabinet was here as well as all the Joint Chiefs.

John Maxwell felt as though he were sitting on a powder keg with a short fuse. He had never seen the President so angry. The man was literally explosive as he received reports of wave after wave of destruction being waged by the dominants.

"I WANT AN ANSWER DAMN IT!" the President boomed from the center of the room. "We must have a way of shutting these dominants down!"

John stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Sir. There is one thing we can do, but it is a drastic move."

The President turned abruptly and stared at him. "What? If you have a solution to this mess, I want to hear it!"

"We can set off an electromagnetic pulse. It would shutdown all their electronic systems." John replied. "The only problem is that it would shutdown our own as well."

"You're talking about EMP?" the President asked. "Wouldn't that require detonating a nuclear device?"

"Normally, yes." John responded. "However we have been working on an experimental EMP bomb. We have two devices located at an underground facility that are nearly ready."

"Can our aircraft deliver this bomb?" the President queried further.

"Yes sir. We have two B-2s specifically retrofitted for this device located at the lab. If we plan it carefully and strategically deliver one in the East and one in the West, it should knock out most of their communications and control equipment." John stated. "Unfortunately, it will also bring down all our own systems that are not hardened. That will be the majority of commercial telecommunications and public information network. Commercial transportation will be affected as well.

"Our communications are already down. At least that would put us on an equal playing field." the President said. "Do it!"

x.x.x

Tom looked up when the guard brought in dinner. He noticed it was the same guard they'd seen that morning. Come to think of it, he was the only one they'd seen in a week. Tom decided to take a chance.

"How come you are the only one coming in to see to us?" Tom asked. He didn't expect a reply and was surprised when he got one.

"The facility is locked down, no one in or out. Those of us that were here when the order came got stuck here."

"Do you know why there's a lock down?" Tom decided to push his luck a little further.

"Not really. All communications are out." the guard replied. "But an order is an order so I'm stuck till they give us the all clear."

The guard disappeared after handing out their plates. The others quietly whispered among themselves. Tom looked at Scott and started formulating a plan. He had to try and find a way of escaping. It had been Lewis's last request, to get everyone out. He knew if he didn't, what had happened to Lewis would happen to the rest of them.

x.x.x

Sloan and the others camped in the foothills on far edge of the reservation. Two landscapes came together in startling contrast. To their east were the Sierra Nevada mountains in all their splendor. Snow and rich green forests capped the highest peaks while the lower elevations were barren and rocky. To their west lay The Great Basin. A cool desert area where mountains dotted the amber horizon and sagebrush, shadscale and juniper were in abundance.

Their camp was far from anything that would pass as a road. While they hadn't found the caves they were searching for, they were satisfied they were remote enough not to attract the attention of the authorities or the native population. They were trespassing on Indian land and they weren't certain how welcome they'd be.

x.x.x

The opportunity came on August 10th. The guard came in for the morning routine, but he was tired and got careless. They were ready, they'd been planning this for weeks. The guard had left the doors open when he removed them from their cages. When he turned his back, Tom pounced on him and silently snapped his neck. Grabbing his keys, they released themselves from their shackles.

Tom dressed quickly in the guard's clothing and took his weapon. They left the area in search of the remaining guards. Upon exiting through the barred doors, they found themselves in a wide, dimly lit hall. There was a small room across from their prison with large glass windows. From there the guards controlled access to the area and monitored their activities. The room was empty which explained the guard's failure to close the doors.

The prison area exited into what looked like a hanger with massive doors at the end. Tom remembered this as being where he originally awoke. He looked to the side and saw the other hallway. He crept down the corridor until he came to a 'T'. Tom focused and sensed there were three guards to his left. He silently snuck up to the door and opened it, peering inside. It was a control room with a bank of monitors at the end. He signaled to the others who quickly joined him. They quietly entered and took the remaining guards by surprise.

The dead men were stripped of their garments and weapons. A search of the rest of the area uncovered a locker room where they found additional clothing. Finally dressed for the first time in months, all that was left was to find the way out. Returning to the control room, they studied the monitors. They showed a lab, a warehouse and several views of the outside. Scouring the room, they finally found the release for the hanger door. Punching the button, they ran for the opening, taking cover in shadows next to the bunker.

Scanning the area, they sensed no more humans. From their vantage point they could see two other buildings. Able to relax somewhat now, they looked at the surrounding landscape. They were awe struck, it was first time they'd seen daylight in a very long time.

It was obvious they were in the middle of the desert, but just where exactly was still unknown. They agreed to wait till dark to make their escape. It would be much cooler at night. The desert was no place to be wandering aimlessly, especially in the middle of summer.

x.x.x

Back in the bunker, they found a kitchen area and ate their fill. The bunker apparently doubled as a barracks where the guards resided. They found showers in the locker room and they all took their first hot shower with soap in four months. Wiping steam away from the mirror, Tom got his first look at himself. He was shocked. His hair was much longer and he sported a full beard. "Well." He thought to himself. "At least no one will recognize me."

Tom decided he wanted to investigate the other buildings. Scott and two others, Bill and Randy, went along. The first structure they came to was the lab. Opening the door the smell of chemicals and disinfectant hit them head on. It contained the expected beakers and equipment, a gurney stood off against the wall of one room. Searching further, they found an area with a wall of file cabinets. Tom immediately walked over to them and began digging through their contents.

"What exactly are you looking for?" Scott asked coming up beside Tom.

"Do you remember when Lewis was dying? He said 'the answers, the questions, it's all here'." Tom replied. "I have no idea what he was talking about but I'd like to see if I can find out."

Scott, Bill and Randy agreed and dove in.

"How will we know if we found something relevant?" asked Bill.

"I'm not sure." Tom stated. "Look for anything unusual, maybe something pertaining to our species. Watch for anything referencing Oaxaca or Mexico in general."

x.x.x

The planes were specially equipped B-2 Stealth bombers. They were hidden within an underground hanger at an officially non-existent facility deep within the desert. The technicians readied the aircraft with the EMP bombs while the pilots went over last minute instructions.

One of the bombs was to be detonated over Salt Lake while the other would be over Ohio. The targets and altitude of the detonations had been carefully planned to maximize the effect of the pulse wave. The proximity of the strategically placed explosions would take out the entire country's electronic systems. Even vehicles wouldn't run if they were equipped with electronic ignition systems. The planes themselves were hardened with shielding that was designed to block the EMP wave.

When the aircraft were ready, they were towed out of the hanger. The pilots climbed into the cockpits and fired up the engines. The B-2s roared down the runway and burst into the sky. Within an hour the first aircraft was in position over Utah and dropped its payload. The second reached its destination shortly after and dropped its bomb as well. Unseen to the pilots who were hundreds of feet in the air, the EMP waves did their job.

Those on the ground heard a distinct crack much like a lightening strike and everything went dark. Fluorescent lights, television sets, and computer monitors continued to glow despite the loss of power. Cars and trucks stopped in their tracks. The smell of ozone and burning plastic hung heavy in the air. Those holding cell phones, PDAs, and other portable devices felt them grow unusually warm in their hands. Society was suddenly thrust backwards a hundred years. The only electricity available would be from batteries or hand-cranked generators and older engines running on fossil fuel.

x.x.x

They'd been combing the files for a couple hours when Scott called out, "I think I may have found something."

Tom was at his side in an instant. Scott was holding a folder labeled Project Starchild. The files were dated 1947. They described a purposed construction project in Mexico, the exact location was not disclosed.

"Alright, now we have something to go on." Tom nodded his head. "Keep an eye open for anything referring to Project Starchild as well."

There were literally thousands of files to go through but the four continued digging.

"I found something you may find interesting." Randy called out. "It's dated 1947. It talks about genetic experiments on forty people, all scientist volunteers. Twenty men and twenty women, all in their late twenties to early thirties.

"Does it say anything else?" Tom asked.

"Not really anything else of any value." Randy replied. "The only other note here is that all were classified as geniuses and all were the best in their fields. It gives a list of the names."

"Give me the list of names." Tom stated. "Let's keep searching."

It was nearly dusk when Bill let out a whistle. "Take a look at this!"

"What did you find?" Tom asked walking over to the man.

"You need to read this one for yourself." Bill replied with an astonished look on his face. "It's unbelievable."

Tom took the file and sat down at a table nearby. The folder was nearly an inch thick. The more he read the more amazed he became.

"This is incredible!" Tom exclaimed when he finished reading.

"What did it say?" Scott asked.

"You aren't going to believe this." Tom said. "We as a species didn't evolve. We were created."

"What?" Scott exclaimed.

"According to this." Tom started his relay of the information. "Project Starchild was started in 1947. It was a genetic experiment on forty scientist volunteers who were paired up as couples.

The goal was to alter their DNA to create a stronger, more resilient form of human beings. They were apparently successful. A facility was built underground in Oaxaca to hide and protect these people during the breeding process."

"Does it say why they did this? Or how?" Scott queried. "I don't understand."

Tom shook his head, "The only other thing it says is that the project was created so mankind would survive and that the project was ordered to be terminated in 1964 due to unforeseen problems with the experiment."

Scott fired off a round of questions, "Survive? Survive what? And what problems? What does terminated mean?"

"I went to Oaxaca when I was working with Sloan and the other human scientists." Tom explained. "The area was desolate, no living thing could survive there. This explains why. The government must have done something to destroy the area. Obviously 'terminate' meant to wipe us out."

"It doesn't say here what the problems with the experiment were." Tom continued. "My guess is that we ended up being more than the government bargained for."

"It sure explains a lot doesn't it?" Randy stated. "The hiding all our lives, the secrecy, the distrust of humans we were all taught."

"It does." Tom nodded his head in agreement. "But it raises other questions too. Scientists in 1947 wouldn't have had the technology to attempt something like this, so how were they able to do it? And Scott's question is a good one, what were we suppose to survive?"

x.x.x

The four searched the warehouse before rejoining the others. They found canteens for water, binoculars, a compass, flashlights and weapons with ammo, as well as packs to put it in. Just as they left the building to head back to the bunker, they heard a pop and all the lights went out. Assuming it was just a local power outage, they went about preparing for their departure.

They waited for nightfall before heading out. Tom studied the surrounding landscape. They were definitely in the middle of the desert. There were patches of sagebrush and Joshua trees abound. Distant mountains were visible from all directions. On nothing more than a hunch, they decided to head south.

It was a clear night and the moon provided all the light they needed. Thousands of stars were shining brightly against an ink black sky. The air was crisp with a slight chill, typical of nights in the desert. As they walked, the occasional scurry of a desert rat or lizard could be heard against the silence. They'd been hiking for several hours when they found themselves at the base of a ridge of mountains. They had a choice of climbing the steep terrain or trying to go around. Investigating the area a little closer, Tom found that the eastern edge yielded to a series of fractured crests. Since this presented a much easier climb, that was the direction they chose.

Upon reaching the summit, they could see a few scattered lights in the distance. They all immediately dropped to the ground to avoid being seen. Taking the binoculars from his pack, Tom surveyed the area. It appeared to be a government facility of some sort, complete with runways. He could see warehouses, hangers, trailers and other structures as well as dirt roads leading into the complex. Portable lighting seemed to be running off gas generators. Off to the side several miles away, he spotted what looked like a main road leading away from the vicinity. Although he didn't see any movement in the area, he didn't want to take any chances. It would be dawn in about five hours and he didn't want to risk their getting caught after having come this far. While sticking to the mountain terrain and following the furrows, they headed east in the direction of the road.

They reached the main road with two hours to go till dawn. Tom found a sign posted near the thoroughfare that made him inwardly cringe when he read it. The text gave a clue as to where they'd just left and it was an unsettling feeling to know how close they'd come to death.

DANGER

POTENTIAL CRATER AREA

KEEP OUT

NO TRESPASSING

BY ORDER OF

THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

If Tom's guess was correct they were somewhere on the Nevada Test Site, deep within the greater Nellis Complex. Home of nuclear testing in the 1950s, this area would be riddled with craters, unstable ground and contaminated earth. This was the most restricted zone of government land in the country. It would be crawling with guards, hidden cameras and motion sensors. They had to get out of this section before daybreak and find a place to hide.

By dawn they reached a small town, that is if you can call two trailers and a couple shacks a town. The place was abandoned giving rise to a ghostly feel. The power was still out so they searched the trailers by flashlight. They found enough clothing for themselves to be less conspicuous and some food for a light breakfast. They decided to camp in one of the trailers and wait for nightfall.

x.x.x

After sleeping several hours, Tom awoke restless. To occupy himself, he decided to snoop around a bit. He dug through drawers, closets and cabinets finally finding some old local area newspapers in a box. Starting with the oldest, he read through the headlines to try and get an idea of what had happened while he'd been in captivity.

He was so engrossed in his reading; he hadn't noticed the others were all now awake. Finally sensing them he looked up to see they'd each grabbed a section of newspaper as well. The looks on their faces gave away their shock. Everyone, including Tom, was stunned at the events that had taken place in the last four months.

"It looks like it got even worse after I caught got," Scott said finally breaking the silence.

"I can't believe it!" Randy exclaimed. "Rioting, bombs, martial law, military air raids! Did the whole world go insane while we were locked up?"

Tom had been thinking while the others were engaged in conversation. "We know now we are somewhere in southern Nevada near the Nellis area.

"I find it very odd that we sensed no one around that complex last night and we found no one here." Tom continued, "It has been over a month since that last paper was printed. What else has happened since then?" Tom swallowed hard after voicing the thing everyone was afraid of.

"You don't think we are the only ones left do you?" Scott whispered.

"I doubt that. Too many others were imprisoned just as we were by the time this came out." Tom stated shaking the paper for emphasis. "But I know one thing for sure. We need to get out of this wasteland and get more information."

"I agree." Bill stated. "It's dusk, do you think we can risk leaving now?"

"Let's get our gear together." Tom said rising from his chair. "We need to refill our canteens. We still don't have a bearing on exactly where we are. We don't want to run out of water in the desert."

"Which direction should we head?" Scott asked.

"We'll continue south." Tom replied. "The Nellis Complex is north of Las Vegas. If we continue to head south, we'll eventually find a road that will lead us there."

x.x.x

Sloan was sitting on a ridge looking out over the desert. It was nearly dark and the stars were just starting to become visible against the deep purple sky. She was deep in thought and didn't notice the man walking up behind her until he spoke.

"You know you're trespassing on our land. Mind telling me why?" he asked.

Sloan looked up startled to see I tall man of obvious Native American heritage. He was about late twenties with long black hair and deeply tanned skin. She thought for a moment as to what to tell him and decided on the truth.

"We've stayed far away so we wouldn't disturb you." Sloan stated starting her explanation. "The short answer to your question is we are hiding from the government and this place seemed safe. If you want the whole story, it's a long one."

"Well I have the time," the young man stated as he walked up and sat down next to her. "I'm Lou by the way. And your name is?"

"I'm Sloan." she said in reply. "Well... where do I start?"

Sloan outlined the entire story to Lou including the parts about Tom, Walter and the coexistence faction. She didn't know why but her gut told her to trust him. When she was finished, he looked at her hard for a couple minutes before replying.

"You and your group need to come with me and meet my grandfather." Lou said. "Besides, you'll be safer further in the reserve with us than way out here. There's nothing to stop the government from coming onto this land."

Lou stood and held out a hand to Sloan to help her up. They walked the short distance to an old pick-up truck he had parked nearby. She accepted his offer and took him to meet the others.

x.x.x

After walking a couple hours, Tom and the others reached a town. He smiled to himself when he saw the name on the signpost, "Rachel". He now knew exactly where they were. They proceeded the rest of the way into town and walked into a diner set back slightly from the edge of the road.

An older woman was standing behind the counter. Looking at them and their packs a little suspiciously, she greeted them, "What brings you fellows in here tonight? You going to do some sky watching?"

"We were camped out up in the hills and got stranded." Tom replied smiling. "We just hiked out."

"So yours stopped running too huh?" she asked relaxing a little with Tom's explanation.

Looking at Tom's puzzled expression, she elaborated. "Your cars. Damnedest thing isn't it? Everybody's cars have stopped running. No power either." She waved her hand at the portable lanterns set around the room to illustrate.

Leaning closer across the counter she whispered, "I bet it was some test of some new weapon they got over there." She nodded her head in an easterly direction

Going along with her, Tom nodded his head. "Yes, our cars wouldn't start. We are trying to get back to Las Vegas, but it looks like we are going to have to walk the whole way."

"Maybe not." she said with a smile. "My name's Pat. My husband Joe has an old pickup, a 1965 Chevy. It's the only thing that runs. I bet I could talk him into driving you boys into town."

"That would be very generous of you." Tom stated. "But I'm afraid we don't have much money to offer you as payment."

Pat waved her hand in dismissal. "Honey, don't you worry about that. We watchers all got to stick together. Now why don't you boys have a seat and I'll make you something to eat. After you all had your dinner, I'll go talk to Joe."

She started to turn toward the kitchen and turned back to them adding, "If you want, I can open up a room for you. There's soap and razors in the store. You look like you could use a little freshening up."

"Thank you." Tom replied. "We would appreciate that. After hiking out of the hills and through the desert, we are all a little ripe."

"Sure thing." she said taking a key from a hook on the wall and laying it on the counter. "Go on over to the store and get what you need. I'll wait till you get back to serve up your dinner."

x.x.x

When Sloan approached the camp with Lou in tow, Dennis and David were immediately on the defensive. She approached Mark and Ray first and made the introductions.

"Mark, Ray, this is Lou." Sloan began. "He has asked us to go with him to meet his grandfather. He also says we would be much safer staying with his people than out here."

Sensing a genuine honesty about the young man, Mark stuck out his hand, "It's good to meet you Lou. And thank you for your kind offer."

Following Mark's lead, Ray also introduced himself. Upon seeing the interactions, Dennis and David relaxed, coming over to meet the visitor. Sloan introduced them to Lou as well.

"Even though you are technically on reservation land," Lou stated. "You're not safe here. The government can come in here anytime if they want. You'd be safer with us. Plus, my Grandfather is going to want to meet you."

"So you aren't upset that we're here?" Ray asked. "Will the rest of your people feel the same way?"

"You have nothing to fear from us." Lou said. "We'll protect you."

"I'm curious about something you said," David stated. "I get the feeling when you say your Grandfather will want to meet us, that there is more to that statement than a typical introduction. Could you elaborate a little on that?"

"I could, but I won't." Lou replied with a huge smile. "My Grandfather will tell you. If I steal his thunder, he'll have my hide."

David laughed at that statement. He nodded his head and let it go with that.

Lou helped the group break camp. He had an easy relaxed manner and got along instantly with everyone. Once they were packed, they loaded their belongings in their vehicles.

When they started to get in, he stopped them. "You are going to have to ride with me."

"Why?" Dennis asked.

"Because your cars aren't going to start." Lou replied. "Nothing newer than late 60's will run."

Looking at each other briefly, both Dennis and Mark tried starting all four SUVs and confirmed what Lou said was true.

"It happened a couple days ago." Lou said. "All of a sudden cars wouldn't run and all electricity is out."

"That sounds like EMP." Dennis stated with concern. "I didn't see any explosions."

"You mean like a nuclear bomb?" Sloan said alarmed.

"A nuclear bomb will cause it." Dennis replied. "But if it had been that, we'd have known. We'd have seen a flash from the detonation."

"Then what else?" Ed asked.

"I don't know." Dennis stated shaking his head. "But we aren't going to find out standing out here."

"We can fit two adults and all the kids in the front." Lou said heading for his truck. "Everyone else can ride in the back. We'll come back out tomorrow and get your possessions."

Everyone loaded up and Lou headed toward the area of the reservation where his people were located.

x.x.x

After Tom and the others had cleaned up, they went back to the diner. He was clean-shaven again as were the rest of them.

"You boys look much better." Pat commented with a big smile as she served them their food. "Now while you eat, I'll go talk to Joe. I'll be back in a few."

Pat walked out of the dinner leaving them to themselves.

Scott was the first to speak between mouthfuls of meatloaf. "So what do you think happened to cause everything to stop working?"

"That's a good question." Tom answered after swallowing. "She could very well be right. It could have been a test of a classified weapon."

"What do you mean?" Randy asked.

"Do you realize where you are?" Tom looked at him with a grin. "This is Rachel, the closet town to the infamous Area 51."

"You mean THE Area 51?" Scott asked with surprise. "As in aliens and secret government cover-ups?"

Tom chuckled, "That's the place. While I have serious doubts about the alien part of its history, the area is known for housing and testing top secret government systems."

"And we are living evidence of the secret government cover-ups." Tom continued. "The entire Nellis complex is shrouded with secrecy. The possibility of them testing a new weapon would not be far fetched."

"Is that what she meant by 'watchers'?" Bill asked. "She thinks we were out here watching for aliens or something."

Tom nodded his head, "That's exactly what she thinks. I'd just as soon let her keep on thinking that too."

Just as they finished eating Pat returned with a man in tow. She walked up to the table and introduced him as Joe.

"Honey, these are the boys I was telling you about." she said addressing her husband. "Think you could help them out and give them a ride to town?"

"I don't see why not." Joe stated taking a seat in an empty chair at the table. "It's about a three hour drive to get there. You all about ready?"

"We are ready when you are." Tom replied standing up from the table. "We can't thank you enough for your generosity."

"It's no trouble." Joe said standing as well. "We try and help out other watchers when we can."

x.x.x

Lou reached his village in about two hours. He parked his truck in front of a large but simple house and instructed the others to get out. Walking up to steps to the porch, he opened the door and invited everyone inside.

"This is where I live." Lou stated throwing his keys on a nearby table. "My Grandfather lives down the street but he'll be asleep by now. I'll take you to meet him tomorrow."

"Where do you want us to stay?" Mark asked. "We don't want to impose on you anymore than we already have."

"There's more than enough room for all of you to stay here." Lou replied. "This was my parents home. I chose to stay here after they died a couple of years ago."

"There are six bedrooms upstairs. I sleep in the one down here." he continued. "I have five brothers and sisters who left the reserve when they were grown. I came back when my parents became ill."

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Sloan asked. "We really don't want to put you out."

"I'm sure ... really." Lou said with a big smile. "This place is too big for just me. I've tried to get my Grandfather to move in here but he won't do it, he's too stubborn. I'd enjoy having the company."

"You don't think the children will bother you?" Grace asked. "They can get a little rambunctious sometimes."

"Nope. They won't bother me a bit." Lou stated. "I'm used to kids. I'm a teacher at the reserve school."

"I'll take you guys over there later so you can check it out." he added looking at the three children.

Upon hearing the word 'school', Matt groaned. Lou chuckled at the response, "This is not like any school you've ever been to. I bet you'd like it."

x.x.x

When they reached Las Vegas, they could see fires burning far off in the city. Joe pulled off onto a side street and parked next to a curb.

"Damn looters." Joe stated with disgust. "They been having a field day looks like. You boys got a gun? You may need it."

"I have my pistol in case we run into any trouble." Tom stated as he opened the door to get out. "We can't thank you enough for your help."

"Your welcome." Joe smiled putting his truck in gear. "You all be careful out there tonight."

They waved at the older man as he pulled away from the curb and headed back in the direction he came.

"Let's see if we can find out what's going on." Tom said as he started walking down the street. The others took their cue and followed along with him.

They were stunned at the devastation. Windows were broken everywhere and buildings had been burned to the ground. Looters had obviously taken advantage of the chaos as items they'd dropped were still littering the streets. Everywhere they turned they were greeted with more destruction. No people could be seen anywhere on the streets although they could sense them peaking out from windows behind locked doors.

"Ok." Scott replied. "So what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know what the rest of you plan to do." Tom stated. "But I'm going to head back to LA."

"What on earth would make you want to go there!" Scott asked in surprise. "From looking at this place, LA isn't going to be any better."

"I have to find Sloan and it's the only place I know to start." Tom replied. "Any of you are welcome to come with me if you like."

"I'll go." Scott stated. He knew Sloan was a human but he also sensed the intense emotion Tom felt towards her. Tom had told him a lot of stories and he trusted his instincts. If Tom trusted her, he could too.

"So will I." Bill said.

"Me too." Randy added.

The other four dominants decided to stay behind. Each had family they wanted to try and find. They said their goodbyes and proceeded further into the city.

"Now the only question that remains is how we are going to get there." Tom said surveying his surroundings. "I'd rather not walk if we can help it."

"Do you think a motorcycle would run?" Bill asked nodding his head in the direction of a Harley dealer down the street.

"They might if we can kick-start them." Tom stated after some thought. "Let's find out."

They headed toward the dealership and walked onto the lot. The place was deserted. Walking into the office through the doorway that no longer had a door, they found several sets of keys. Returning to the lot, they tried different bikes until they finally found four that would start. Walking them around to the back, they found the gas pump but there was no electricity to run it.

"Look around for piece of hose." Tom said grabbing a crow bar that lay on the ground next to a broken window. Using it, he pried the cover off the valve for the underground tank. Randy returned with a water hose and Tom used his knife to cut it to a manageable length. He opened the valve and slid the hose inside. "Bring one of the bikes over here." he stated.

Bill wheeled one over and removed the cap from the gas tank. Tom sucked on the hose to get the flow started. He pinched off the end and spit out the mouthful of gas. Placing the end of the hose in the gas tank, he released his grip on the end. He repeated the process till all four of the bikes had full tanks. When he was finished, he removed the hose and secured it to the back of his own bike for future use.

They jumped on the motorcycles and started them up. Each in turn roared to life. Their next stop was the nearest strip mall to collect supplies. They found a general store that hadn't been looted too severely. In it they were able to collect camping gear as well as suitable clothing. Grabbing some maps on the way out, they were ready to leave.

They were a short distance from the freeway. Maneuvering around the barricades to the entrance of I-15, they headed west in the direction of Los Angeles.

Tom was beginning to feel the fear creep in that he'd been keeping at bay. After everything he'd seen and learned, was it really possible Sloan was still alive? "She has to be." he thought to himself as though the mere thought would make it so.

x.x.x


	4. Part 4 Conspiracies and Epiphanies

**Part 4: Conspiracies and Epiphanies**

_"Brightest and best of the sons of the morning, Dawn on our darkness, and lend us thine aid."  
-Reginald Heber_

_"He hearkens after prophecies and dreams."  
-Shak_

_"It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."  
-Voltaire_

The desert night was moonless. The void broken only by millions of stars against an ebony sky, glittering like diamonds against black velvet. Despite the heavy leather jacket and gloves he wore, the air held a chill. His hair whipped back from his tear streaked face as the wind screamed around him. The vibration of the Harley he rode and the rumble of the engine lulled him into an almost hypnotic trance. His headlight illuminated the dark ribbon of highway that stretched on forever as it threaded itself through the mountains.

Tom was absorbed in his thoughts, still trying to process everything he'd learned in the last few days. He wasn't certain which came as a bigger shock, the state of the world or the knowledge of the origin of his people.

It was hard to imagine everything that had transpired in just four short months. The world as they knew it was gone... replaced with the result of two self-righteous societies battling each other for the prize. Each escalating on the other till it had gotten out of control. In the end, both sides had ultimately lost. Cities were destroyed and modern technology was all but gone. Irreplaceable treasures stood in heaps of brick and mortar. Thousands had been imprisoned and thousands more had died. And for what? To keep a dark secret, fifty years old, hidden ... and revenge. Tom was certain now that the humans' government had initiated the war with his kind in an effort to conceal the truth of their existence. He was equally certain that his species had retaliated out of revenge and hatred that was bred from betrayal so long ago.

The big secret, the story of how his kind had come to be. It was an astonishing tale, but one he had only part of. He still couldn't fathom how they managed to do it, or why. What were they suppose to be able to survive? He figured the first children of those forty scientists would be as old as fifty today. That meant some could still be alive. Would they have answers? Lewis had obviously known something, but whatever it was, he took it to his grave.

"Sloan would love to get her hands on this one." Tom mused to himself.

The dull ache in the center of his chest was back with the simple thought of her, making it hard to breath. Was she still alive? He'd read in those old newspapers about dominants and human sympathizers being imprisoned in internment camps. He desperately hoped that's not where she ended up. He'd experienced first hand what the humans' government would do to prisoners. He couldn't stand the thought of her going through that hell. Sloan was a free spirit much like a bird in the wild. She was meant to fly ... not locked up in a cage. One thing he was positive about, if she was in one of those camps he would do everything in his power to get her out. Even if it meant giving his life.

x.x.x

Everyone had settled in for the night. David came downstairs after checking and finding Sloan was not in her room. Mari told him she'd said something about going for a walk. This was just the opportunity he needed, now he just had to find Lou. He searched the lower floor finally finding him in the kitchen.

"Lou can I talk to you for a second?" David asked approaching the other man. "I need a favor."

"Sure." Lou answered motioning to another chair at the table. "Have a seat. What do you need?"

"You said you're a teacher." David replied sitting down at the table. "You wouldn't by chance have any extra notebooks laying around would you?"

"Note books?" Lou smiled leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, I have a couple stashed somewhere. You need one?"

"It's for Sloan." David answered leaning forward. "She had been keeping a journal and accidentally left it behind in Sonora Junction. I want to surprise her with a new one if possible. She has taken a lot of what's happened very hard, it's more personal for her than for the rest of us. The journal seemed to help her when she had it. Now she is closing herself off and I don't want to see that happen."

"I see. Wait here," Lou responded rising from his chair and walking out of the room. "I'll be right back."

David leaned his forearms against the table and looked around the kitchen. It was a simple room, the wooden table sat next to the window. Pans hung from hooks over the stove and coffee mugs stood on a tree next to the pot on the counter. He was getting anxious. He wanted to get this up to Sloan's room before she came back. She needed this more now than ever. The three month anniversary of Walter's death was coming up soon.

"Sorry it took me so long but I found it." Lou announced walking back into the room holding up a book. He sat down at the table and handed it to David. "Here, give this to her. Much better than just a plain notebook."

David took the journal from Lou and looked at it. It was a smallish book bound in leather. The cover was tooled with a dreamcatcher and an intricate border. The crisp pages it contained were stark white and waiting for words. He smiled has he ran his hand across the cover.

"I bought that a couple years ago thinking I'd start a journal." Lou leaned back in his chair with a broad smile. "I never did ... don't have the dedication it takes I guess.

"Sloan will love this." David commented smiling.

"From what she told me and by what you've added, she would make much better use of it." Lou continued. "The symbol on the cover is believed to sift your dreams and visions. In essence, to keep the good dreams and cast away the bad."

David nodded his head at the explanation. "It's perfect. Thank you."

"Your welcome." Lou said. "If you want to add something in the front, you'll find a pen in one of the drawers in the desk in the living room."

"I think I will." David replied rising from the table. "I want to get this upstairs before she gets back."

Lou laughed, "She's been back. She's sitting out in the backyard looking at the stars."

x.x.x

David rummaged through the drawers finally finding a pen that worked. He sat down on the sofa and considered what he wanted to say. Thinking of what Lou had told him about the symbol he wrote ...

_"To a good friend who never fails to share a sunrise. Hopefully this will help you keep all your best dreams close to you."_

_David_

Satisfied with his inscription, he rose from the sofa and went upstairs to put it in her room. After knocking softly on the door, Mari answered. Looking at the sheepish grin on his face she asked, "What on earth are you up to?"

"I wanted to replace Sloan's journal." he explained stepping into the room. "When I asked Lou if he had a notebook, he gave me this instead. I wanted to surprise her."

Mari looked at the book in his hand and smiled. "You are such a sweetie! That's a really nice thing to do. That's her bed over there. Why don't you lay it where she'll find it first thing."

David grinned as he walked over to Sloan's bed and carefully laid the book on her pillow. Turning back toward the door he said to Mari. "It's a surprise so don't say anything till she finds it."

"Mum's the word." Mari replied shooing him out the door and closing it. She turned and looked at the bed, the journal prominently displayed in the center of the pillow. "David you are such a soft touch." she said to herself smirking.

x.x.x

The screen door creaked as Lou opened it and stepped out into the backyard. He squinted in the dark to see exactly where Sloan was sitting. Finding her in the glider that sat under a large tree, he walked over to join her.

"Aren't you getting cold?" he asked sitting down next to her.

"No. This is actually pretty warm." Sloan wrapped Tom's jacket tighter around her to illustrate.

Lou eyeballed the black coat for a moment before speaking. "Is that Tom's?"

"Yes." she replied softly with a slight nod of her head. "It probably seems silly but it makes me feel closer to him by wearing it."

"You don't have to explain it to me." Lou stated. "I wore my dad's coat for a year after he died. Everyone has their own way of dealing with grief and letting go."

Sloan looked at him hard, "Tom's not dead! I refuse to believe that!"

"I hope you're right Sloan." Lou said gently. "But if he is or if the two of you never find each other, I hope you know you have good friends here that you can turn to."

Sloan said nothing to his last statement. She leaned her head back and pointed her face towards the night sky, squeezing her eyes tightly shut to hold back the tears. Lou knew all too well the pain she felt. He silently patted her on the arm and walked back into the house.

x.x.x

Tom looked at his odometer and calculated their mileage. They'd been on the road a little over two hours and were about twenty miles out from Barstow. They would need to stop to get gas. "It's time for a break anyway." he thought to himself. It had been a long ride and he was ready to stretch his legs.

Coming around a curve, he saw the first exit sign and motioned for the others to pull off. One by one, each downshifted and steered toward the off ramp. When they reached the intersection where the ramp met the street, they stopped momentarily to get their bearings. Not sensing the presence of anyone else, they turned left in the direction of town. Upon nearing the city limits they spotted a small station on the right. They pulled into the lot and killed their engines at the pumps.

Tom was the first to dismount, walking around the back of the station. These pumps were old and he hoped he could find a way to use them with out having the siphon the gas from the underground tanks. His search proved fruitless for either a key or a way into the building without breaking a window. Just as he started to head back toward the front of the station, he sensed them ... two humans. Two soldiers to be more precise.

He drew his pistol from behind his back and slowly crept along the wall toward the front of the station. Seeing an opening to head into some bushes along the side of the property, he took it. Tom crawled silently through the brush, edging his way toward the voices as he listened to the conversation.

"You still haven't answered me." the first soldier said in a stern voice. "Why are you out after curfew? You should all know the consequences of breaking rules put in place during Martial Law."

Tom could sense the fear and desperation his friends felt. He knew he had to act fast before they reacted badly to the situation they were in.

"By order of the President of the United States, we are placing you all under arrest for detainment and further questioning." the second soldier added, raising his gun higher as he pointed it at the group.

Tom reached a point where he could see what was going on. The soldiers had their weapons pointed at his friends. He watched as the first soldier roughly shoved Randy towards the Humvee parked next to the pumps. Knowing exactly what he needed to do, he didn't waste a second. Taking careful aim, he raised his weapon and rapidly fired off four shots. Both soldiers dropped as his bullets hit them dead center in the back. The flood of relief he felt from the other three dominants equaled the look on their faces as they all looked toward the bushes to watch him emerge.

"My God I'm glad to see you!" Scott was the first to speak, still visibly shaken by his encounter.

"I think we need to get our fuel and get out of here quickly." Tom said as he searched the soldiers and confiscated their weapons. "We don't know how many more of them there are in this area and I'd prefer we didn't need to find out."

"There are a whole lot more where those came from." a strange voice broke into their conversation. "They patrol the streets real regular so I suggest you be quick about your business."

All four whirled around at the sound of the voice to see an older man standing just a few yards away.

"Is this your station?" Tom asked. "We'd gladly pay you for the gas we need. We don't want any trouble. We just want to fill up and be on our way."

"Yeah, this is my place and you can have the gas." the man said walking towards the group. "But you best get out of sight till morning. This area is crawling with these idiots and you'll surely get caught if you try traveling at night."

"Well we are really just passing through." Tom stated. "We aren't from this area and we don't have anywhere to stay."

"My name is Nick by the way." the older man continued pulling a key to the pumps from his pocket. "The gas is free just for taking out those two."

"I'll be willing to give you a place to stay tonight if you want, I live just over there." Nick nodded in the direction of a house set back from the station. "I got plenty of room."

"We appreciate the offer and the gas, but we really don't want to put you to any trouble." Tom said.

"Ain't no trouble." Nick replied as he put the key in the pump and cranked the handle on the side. He turned and gave Tom a steady look. "You all have no idea what's going on do you?"

Without giving them a chance to answer, Nick turned and walked back toward the station. Talking over his shoulder he added. "Go ahead and fill up. I got some gas cans in here I'll give you so you can carry extra." He opened the door and disappeared inside the building.

"What do you think?" Scott asked removing the gas cap from his bike. "Think we should take him up on his offer?"

"I think we should at least see what he has to say." Tom replied already pumping the fuel into his bike. "I sense he has something he wants to tell us. I'd like to find out what it is."

Nick reappeared at the door, walking towards Tom and the others carrying four large plastic gas cans. He handed them off to Bill and Randy. "Go ahead and fill those up. You can strap them to the back of your bikes. They hold two gallons each."

"So, what do you say?" he asked looking at Tom again. "It'll be a lot safer for you to wait out the rest of the night."

"We accept." Tom said as he looked at the man. "But only if you let us to do something for you to return the favor."

"I was hoping you all would say that." Nick grinned. "I need a favor and I got a feeling you four are just the ones that might be able to pull it off."

Nick looked at Scott then who'd finished filling his bike. "Why don't you go start up that thing they were driving. We'll hide it here in the garage. I'll go open it up."

Nick disappeared again inside the building and soon the door to the garage started to rise. Scott took the keys to the Humvee from Tom and got in, starting the engine. He drove it into the garage and Nick quickly lowered the door. Shortly both men emerged from the building. Nick turned and locked the door on his way out.

"You all about ready?" Nick asked returning to the group. "You can walk your bikes up that drive there and store them around in back of the house."

Tom and the others raised their kickstands and began pushing the bikes following Nick towards his house.

"What do you suppose he wants?" Scott asked in a low voice.

"I don't know." Tom replied. "But we are about to find out."

x.x.x

The dominants sat in a modest living room waiting for Nick who was in the kitchen. Nick emerged carrying five cans of beer and offered one to each of them. He sat down in an old recliner and sighed, looking at Tom.

"Well I suppose you are wondering what I'm up to." Nick said popping the top of the can and taking a long drink. "Like I said, I need a favor."

"Ok. Why don't you start from the beginning." Tom leaned back in his chair. "I don't know if we can help, but we'll try."

Nick nodded his head. "You all know about the detention camps the government opened after all this crap started? Well there's one not too far from here at Fort Irwin. They rounded up everyone they thought was the enemy including humans they thought were helping them out."

"We'd read about that." Tom stated. "We didn't know we were that close to one."

"I figured as much." Nick said looking at Tom. "You four don't seem to know about a lot of things going on right now. So the way I figure it, you must have been locked up somewhere while this was all coming down."

Tom opened his mouth to protest but Nick stopped him raising his hand. "Now don't get worried there. I don't give a damn if you were or why. But if you four were able to get out, you might be able to get my daughter out."

"Your daughter?" Tom asked surprised. "I don't understand. You're human, why would your daughter be locked up."

"Well that answers that question." Nick chuckled. "You knew that without me telling you. You're just like my daughter's friend Jim. He always knew things without someone telling him. That's why my daughter Kelly is locked up right now. Jim was one of them dominants and she got locked up right along with him."

Tom sensed Nick could be trusted and decided the best thing he could do was tell him the truth. "You are right on both counts. We are dominants and we were imprisoned for four months until about a week ago when we escaped."

"Yup, thought so." Nick said nodding his head. "I knew it from the minute I watched you sneaking around the building into those bushes."

"These bastards rolled in here back in June like a bunch of stormtroopers." Nick continued gesturing in agitation as he went. "They took over everything. Barking orders and locking up anyone that didn't go along like a bunch of Nazis. Next thing I know, Kelly and Jim are rounded up and thrown on this truck. Was told by this sergeant they were taking them to Fort Irwin and that if I didn't want to be next I'd best not say a damn word."

"How long ago was this?" Tom asked leaning forward in his chair and resting his forearms on his legs as he massaged his left hand with his right.

"About a month ago." Nick replied. "Thing is I got know idea why they came after them. Jim wasn't a bother to anybody. He was a nice kid, kinda on the quiet side. He worked for me at the station pumping gas. I always thought it was a little odd how he knew about things beforehand, but it came in really handy. He kept me from being robbed once."

"You say this camp is close to here. How close?" Tom asked, his brow creased in concentration. "Do you know anything about the camp itself or the numbers we could expect guarding it?"

"Fort Irwin itself is about thirty-five miles from here." Nick stated. "The base was closed several years ago. I heard stories about that camp long before it ever got put to use. From what I heard it sits just inside the base perimeter."

"I don't know much about the numbers." Nick continued. "But from what I saw around town, there'd be about twenty guards out there at least, maybe more."

Tom leaned back in his chair again sighing. They would be greatly out numbered. He was the only Chameleon in his group. The odds didn't look good.

"I know what you're thinking." Nick leaned forward. "You're thinking there's only four of you and twenty or more of them. Well how would you feel about having a little human help?"

Tom looked at Nick as he continued. "I may not be as young as I used to be but I did time in the Army. I spent two tours in Vietnam. I got about ten friends here in town that are all ex-Army. Ain't none of them real happy about all this shit and they definitely ain't happy about Kelly and Jim getting locked up."

"You think they'd be willing to help?" Tom asked. "We'd need weapons."

"Yeah, I know they'd help." Nick replied. "And weapons ain't a problem, you leave that to me. One thing Vietnam vets all did was hang onto a lot of firepower."

Tom nodded his head, "I think it would be best for us to go check it out first and see what we are looking at. We can get in there and get out without being detected."

"I think that's a good idea." Nick stated rising from his chair. "Before I even approach these guys with the idea, I want to know if you think it can be done."

"Agreed." Tom also rose. "Let's all get some sleep and we'll head over there tomorrow."

"I want you to know..." Nick said shaking Tom's hand. "Even if it can't be done, I appreciate that you all are willing to try."

x.x.x

Tom and Randy crept silently through the dense woods on the south perimeter of the camp. They'd left Scott and Bill about two miles back near a dirt road with the bikes to watch for trouble. When they neared the edge where the trees gave way to open field, they stopped. Tom took the binoculars from his pack and began to survey the area. He could see the chain link fence surrounding the camp topped with razor wire pointing inward. The area between the woods and the fence was covered in tall grass and weeds. On the far side was a watch tower with a guard near a gate. There were hundreds of tents and shacks within the confines of the camp set in row upon row where many people were milling about. He counted ten guards within the perimeter, each carrying an M16.

Tom continued to patiently watch, waiting to see if there were more guards or if they had a pattern to their movement. He saw a prisoner, a man, stand from a bench and look in his direction. The man walked towards a large group about ten feet away and spoke to them, then turned and headed for the outdoor toilets near the fence off to Tom's left. The group walked out toward the open area and soon started a fight. Tom figured it was a diversion setup to draw the guards to the center of the camp. As if on cue, the guards rushed to the group to break it up.

Tom took advantage of the excitement and crawled the short distance through the grass to the fence near the toilets. The man called to him from inside one of the units.

"Fifteen on duty at all times. All are heavily armed. They work in rotating twelve hour shifts. Change of guard is at noon and midnight. Come at night, they are less alert and will be careless. Lights out for the camp is at 9pm. Signal us and we will do what we can from the inside."

"How many of you are there?" Tom whispered as he wearily eyed the watch tower.

"About five hundred of us are left." the man replied. "Go now before you get caught."

Tom quickly crawled back to the line of trees, making it back just as the fight was breaking up. He passed the information on to Randy and the two headed back the way they'd come, meeting up with the others and heading back to Barstow.

Within an hour they were sitting once again in Nick's living room going over what they'd learned. Tom relayed the information they'd gathered and told Nick to contact his friends.

x.x.x

Sloan awoke early. She laid in her bed for a few minutes to shake off the remnants of sleep before getting up. Looking over at the small table next to the bed, she spied the book David had left on her pillow the night before. Reaching out and grabbing it, she ran her hand across the cover and smiled to herself. David had become a dear friend to her in the last few months. She didn't know what she'd have done without him. He was always a source of support and comfort when she needed it. She immediately felt a pang of guilt about Ed. Ed had always been her best friend ... and still was. But he just didn't understand the mixed feelings she had about everything that had happened to them. David, Dennis ... even Mark seemed to understand what she was going through and helped her when she needed it. Ed just seemed to stare at her as though she were some stranger he didn't know.

Deciding she'd done enough wool gathering, she got up and dressed quickly. Grabbing her new journal, she headed downstairs for some much needed coffee. Today they would be meeting Lou's grandfather who apparently had something important to tell them.

Sloan walked into the kitchen and found there was already coffee made. She poured herself a cup and joined David and Dennis who were sitting at the table.

"Good morning." she said as she sat down, curling one leg under her in the chair. Sloan held her coffee mug in both hands and took a sip smiling at the two guys that were now looking at her.

"Good morning Sloan." Dennis responded. "Did you sleep well?"

"For what little I got, yes," she answered as David gave her a concerned look. Looking at him pointedly she added, "I was up late, not to worry."

David was about to respond when he noticed she had the book he'd given her. Deciding to leave well enough alone, he just grinned at her and took another sip of his coffee.

"So, has anyone seen Lou yet this morning?" Sloan asked no one in particular. "I'm very curious about why his grandfather wants to talk to us."

"He was already gone when I got up." Dennis replied. "I'm sure we'll find out as soon as he gets back."

"Well how about some breakfast while we wait then?" Sloan asked as she got out of her chair and headed for the fridge. Opening the door and peering inside, "Eggs and bacon sound good to you guys?"

"Well, he's back and yes it does ... thank you," Lou answered walking into the kitchen.

Sloan jumped in surprise and turned to him quickly, "You shouldn't sneak up on someone like that, you'll give them a heart attack."

Lou laughed as he grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, "What can I say, old habits die hard." He looked at her still smiling with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Both David and Dennis chuckled at his response and looked at Sloan to see what she might have to say as a come back. Sloan looked at each of the three men in turn and just shook her head as she turned and took the eggs out of the fridge.

Sobering a bit, Lou said, "I just got back from Grandfather's house. He's anxious to meet you. Once we've had breakfast, I'll take the three of you and Mark to meet him."

"You don't want the others to go?" Dennis asked him.

"No, it's not that at all," Lou responded shaking his head trying to put them at ease. "His house is small so he wouldn't have room for everyone in one trip. He does want to meet all the people in your group, but right now, he just wants to meet the four of you as he feels you are the most important members, the leaders."

"Leaders?" Sloan turned back to look at him in surprise. "I'm no leader!."

Lou leveled her with a serious gaze, "Sloan. While you may not think of yourself as a leader or as an important part of your group, you are. You just don't realize it yet."

Sloan just stared at him with a shocked look on her face wondering to herself what that meant.

David rose from the table and walked toward the living room, "I'll go wake up Mark so he can eat with us and be ready to go."

x.x.x

It was a small wood frame house complete with a front porch and a rocker. Bundles of sweetgrass and sage hung from the eves to dry along with chimes and other amulets Sloan didn't recognize. The five of them had walked the short distance from Lou's to this place, his Grandfather's house.

Lou told them to wait out front while he went in and told his Grandfather they were there. Sloan wasn't sure why but she was nervous. David sensed this and reached out to give her arm a reassuring squeeze. Within minutes, Lou reappeared at the door opening it and beckoning them to come inside. Sloan swallowed the lump in her throat and entered the small dwelling.

The room was brightly lit with the usual furnishings you'd find anywhere. There were a few Indian rugs scattered here and there amongst the typical pictures and books. She visibly relaxed and heard Lou chuckling beside her.

"You feel better now knowing you didn't just walk into a scene of a bad Indian horror movie?" Lou asked her with a huge smile.

Sloan turned to look at him and saw he was barely containing outright laughter. She looked at David and Dennis and saw they were also smiling broadly. Mark of course was straight faced as usual.

"You three are impossible." she protested with a smile of her own. "Did you all get together this morning and decide you were going to gang up on me?"

"I know my grandson. If there was any mischief making going on, he was definitely in the middle of it." It was Lou's Grandfather who spoke as he came out of another room. He was tall and stocky with long gray hair caught back in a pony tail. He wore jeans and a plaid long sleeve shirt.

He walked up to Sloan and extended his hand to her. "I'm Charlie, this one's grandfather." He said softly, cutting his eyes in Lou's direction. Looking back to her he asked, "You are Sloan?"

"Yes." Sloan responded with a smile, shaking his hand. "I'm pleased to meet you."

Charlie met her smile with one of his own and turned to the three dominants, shaking each of their hands in introduction as well.

"Please, have a seat everyone." Charlie stated gesturing to the couch and chairs. He walked over to well used rocker and sat down. Lou dropped to a spot off to the side on the floor.

"Don't get too comfortable down there." Charlie said to Lou looking him in the eye. "I put some coffee on and it will be ready soon."

"I suppose that's a hint that you want me to go get it?" Lou asked with a grin standing back up.

"You're learning." Charlie responded to him with a chuckle, shaking his head slightly.

Sloan took in the gentle bantering between the two and wondered why she had been so nervous. It was obvious they were close and loved to tease each other.

"As soon as Junior gets back in here, I'll tell you why you are here." Charlie said in an intentionally loud voice over his shoulder toward what was obviously the kitchen.

As if on cue, Lou walked out carrying a tray with six coffee cups. He sat the tray on the table in front of the couch. Grabbing two cups, he handed one to his Grandfather and took the other for himself. Once he was settled back on the floor, his Grandfather cleared his throat. Everyone focused their attention on the old man.

"Lou came to me this morning and told me about finding you all and bringing you here last night." Charlie started.

"He also told me the entire story that you told him Sloan." he added nodding in her direction. "He was right to bring you here. You were not safe in the hills, you would have been found."

"Now he says he did not tell you why you were coming to see me, is that true?" he asked looking at the group. After they all nodded indicating it was, he said with a grin in Lou's direction "Will wonders never cease."

Looking back to the group of four, he suddenly became serious and sat his coffee cup down. He looked at each of them with a fierce intensity as he spoke.

"There is a legend among my people that talks of the coming of a new world following great destruction. According to this legend, there will be a battle against other people in these lands ... the descendents of '_those that possessed the first light of wisdom_'. They will be known by their powers of knowledge. They will possess the senses of the wolf and the cunning of the mountain lion. The white man will fear them and try to destroy them, but they will hide in the hills with others who are pure of heart. Those who stay and live in the places of my people will be safe."

Charlie stopped to let that sink in as he reached for his coffee and took a sip. Sloan absorbed this information and sat wide eyed looking between Lou and Charlie. A thousand questions were running through her head but she couldn't decide on where to start.

Mark saved her the trouble when he started asking questions of his own. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs and looked Charlie directly in the eye as he spoke. "So as soon as the news reports started months ago, you felt that my species were the descendents spoke of in your legend? And Lou knew who we were as soon as he heard Sloan's story?"

Charlie nodded his head and sat his cup back down. "Yes. I suspected as much when I heard the news of your people's abilities. It wasn't until much later that I became convinced. After the reports of the bombings by both sides and the news that your people were hiding in the mountains, that is when I knew you were the descendents the legend spoke of."

"But there is more I need to tell you." Charlie continued.

"According to the legend, once the war is over, a great warrior will return. The descendents will be his helpers. _'He will plant the seeds of his wisdom in their hearts. He and his helpers will show the people a new life plan'_. There will be much to rebuild. Those who are saved will share everything equally and speak one tongue and live as brothers. There will be no more separation of race."

Sloan final decided the questions she wanted to ask and began to rapid fire them while she had a chance, "Who are the people that 'possessed the first light of wisdom'? Where did they come from? Who is this great warrior? Is he one of us? Is everything that's happened what you called 'the great destruction'?"

Charlie held his hand up to stop her but he replied to her with a gentle smile, "That is all I can tell you at this time." He rose out of his chair, silently indicating he'd said all he was going to say. "You are welcome here with us and you will be safe. Please do not feel that you have to leave."

The group rose and thanked him for his time before heading out the door. Sloan was trailing at the end of the line. Once the dominants were outside, Charlie reached out and gently took her hand in both of his. She turned to look at him and he smiled.

Patting her hand gently he said, "You have a heavy heart right now. You are strong and you have a curious nature. You still have a lot of life left in you, don't give up the fight just yet."

Sloan fought the tears threatening to spring to her eyes and just nodded. When Charlie released her hand, she turned and walked outside.

Lou came up to stand beside his Grandfather as they watched the group milling around out front.

"Why didn't you tell them the rest?" he asked.

"It's not time." Charlie responded looking at Lou. "And don't you tell them either. She will try and get you to talk, to tell her more, don't be fooled."

Lou chuckled to himself imagining what Sloan was going to be like the next few days as her curiosity started really getting the best of her. "I'll find something to get her interested in. That will take her mind off of it."

Charlie's face grew serious again. "That's a good idea. Her heart is breaking with grief for the one she lost and the one she hasn't found. Finding something she can lose herself in will help."

Lou started for the door and turned back to address Charlie again. "Grandfather, would you address the other elders about planning a gathering at the end of this month? David told me that is the anniversary of the death of their friend. I'd like to plan something that will occupy them as well as give them the chance to bid farewell."

Charlie nodded his head at his grandson telling him he would arrange it. He watched as Lou left the house and joined the others for the walk back home. There was so much they needed to do to get ready.

x.x.x

Tom sat in the now cramped living room watching as the others talked amongst themselves. Fourteen men were crammed into this room with one common goal ... to set the people at the internment camp free and rescue Nick's daughter Kelly. They were discussing their possible options and bringing others up to speed on what the dominants had found. One of Nick's friends, Sonny, had a map of the former Fort Irwin complex that they were now pouring over.

"From what you are saying, the camp sits in this area here." Sonny said glancing at Scott and pointing to the map.

"Yeah, that looks about right." Scott replied. "Tom, what do you think?"

Tom rose from his chair and walked over to the table where they had spread out the map. "That's right. The camp is here on the east perimeter." Tom grabbed a pencil and marked the map.

"The guard tower and gate are here," he continued as he drew more lines. "There is one access road into the camp. We can sneak in the same way we did today but, we'll have to evacuate five hundred people through two miles of woods in the dark."

"Yeah, that's not gonna work too good." Sonny shook his head. "We need trucks, several of them, to get those people out of there."

"Well there's plenty of them there on the base." Jake, another of Nick's friends, pointed out. "We just got to get to them."

"That is provided they will run." Tom replied. "That also leaves the question of how we get to them."

"Well, most military field vehicles are hardened against EMP." Jake said. "Getting them out of the base shouldn't be too hard. We just go in and kill the guards and take them."

Jake saw Tom's skeptical look and continued. "I was Special Ops in Nam. So was Sonny here and a few of the rest of us. If we can walk into an enemy VC camp undetected and take them all out, I think we can walk onto a base and kill a few guards.

"Tom, didn't you say you took the uniforms of those two guards you killed at Nick's station?" Sonny asked. "We can dress up a couple of the guys in those and drive right onto the base in that Humvee. They'll never notice us till it's too late."

"Ok. Let's say I buy that and it works." Tom said. "How are you going to get that many trucks with just two of you?"

"We'll have the rest of us waiting out a ways from the base with a radio." Jake said. "I have a military hand radio set that is shielded from EMP so they will still work. Once we take out the guards, we radio the rest of you to come on in and grab the trucks."

"I think you need more than just two people to kill everyone on that base." Tom stated. "I think a couple of us should ride in with you. We could then break into two teams. One of us can sense were the other guards are, it would be faster to locate them."

"I like that idea." Sonny nodded his head. "We can throw you in the back of the Humvee and say we caught you breaking curfew. Gives us a good reason to get through the gate if we're questioned."

"Once we get the trucks, we head straight for the camp." Tom said. "We could all be in uniforms by that time and say we have orders to move the prisoners."

"We need someone to get up that guard tower right away and take out the guy up there." Jake stated.

"That will be me." Tom said. "I'm going to need a sniper rifle with a silencer so I can take out as many guards on the ground as possible while I'm up there."

"No problem." Jake grinned. "I just happen to have M40-A with a scope and silencer that will work just fine. This baby saved my ass on more than one occasion in Nam."

"Now it's just a question of where to go once we get everyone out." Tom said running his hand through his hair. "That's a lot of people. We can't bring them back here."

"I heard about people hiding up in the San Gabriel Mountains." Nick added. "I bet some of your folks in that camp will know where to go."

"That would probably be best for these people." Tom agreed. "They'll need food and clothes which we could pack up in the trucks before we head to the camp. I want to load up our bikes so we can head on to LA once we have everyone safe."

"So let's say we hit the base at 2000 hours then." Sonny stated. "That will give us four hours to take out all the guards, steal enough uniforms for everyone, get the trucks and load up supplies before we head for the camp. Then we arrive at the camp at midnight for shift change, just like normal. Sound like a plan?"

"That sounds good." Tom said. "How are all of you planning on getting back once we get the prisoners to safety?"

"We ain't." Nick stated. "We're going with them and staying with them. They need protection and to tell you the truth, there ain't nothing here any of us need to come back to."

"Ok." Tom nodded. "We have a plan. I say we go tomorrow night. That will give us enough time to get supplies together and let everyone pack up what they want to take along."

Everyone agreed with that idea. The men milled about talking about old Vietnam War stories and making plans. They were all charged up, Tom could feel it like static electricity in the air. These men had come through tough times together and seen things most people would never want to see in their lifetimes. Tom felt good about this, it was going to work. Once everyone was safe, then he could head to LA to look for clues about Sloan.

Tom felt the heaviness in his chest again and rose to walk outside for air before anyone noticed. Opening the door, he stepped out into the night and drew a deep breath before settling on the front step. He rested his arms on his thighs and scrubbed his face was his hands before looking up at the night sky. Sighing deeply, he brought his memories of Sloan to mind. He could still see her copper brown hair shining in the sunlight as it fell in ringlets to her shoulders; the way her hazel eyes would sparkle when she had a new quest she'd latched onto. She was always so full of life, her excitement was contagious. Resting his forehead on his hands, he closed his eyes taking another deep breath. He would find her, he was determined. He made a silent vow that when he did, he was never letting her out of his sight again.

x.x.x

Everything was ready. The men were gathered at Nick's house while a large black panel van stood out front loaded with their belongings and supplies. One of the men had somehow managed to get it running. It was decided that Sonny and Jake would pose as the prisoners while Tom and Bill dressed in the soldiers uniforms. Scott and Randy would ride their bikes while two others would drive those belonging to Tom and Bill. Nick had already retrieved the Humvee from the garage at his station and it sat parked in the back. Once they'd gone over the plan one more time, they quickly loaded up and pulled out for the thirty-five mile drive to Fort Irwin.

When they got within two miles from the front gate of the base, the van pulled off and parked in a warehouse parking lot. They tested the radios again for good measure. Satisfied that communications would be possible, Tom pulled the Humvee back out onto the road and drove the final distance to the base.

They made it through the front gate without incident. Tom got out of the Humvee and followed the lone soldier into the guard shack under the pretense of filling out some paperwork for the 'prisoners'. When the soldier turned his back, Tom silently broke his neck. He quickly stripped him of his clothes and his weapon. Handing them back to Sonny, he got back into the vehicle and drove onto the base.

They made short work of finding the remaining soldiers on the base and killing them. They found the motor pool and radioed the others to join them while they started the process of hot wiring the trucks. Tom and the other three had fourteen of the large canvas covered troop carriers running by the time the van and bikes arrived. The men loaded the bikes on the trucks and changed into the uniforms of the dead soldiers. Once the supplies were loaded, they were ready. Each jumped into the vehicles and headed for the camp.

Tom trailed at the end of the convoy, his M40-A laying ready in the seat beside him. When they arrived at the compound, he placed the truck in park and grabbed the rifle. Silently, he got out and crept toward the watch tower, keeping to the shadows to avoid detection. While the guards at the gate were kept busy with the drivers of the lead vehicles, Tom snuck up the ladder. Peering over the top, he saw the lone soldier keeping watch over the camp, his back toward the ladder. Crawling into the enclosure, he cautiously advanced on the guard. Rising directly behind him, Tom quickly grabbed his head and snapped his neck.

As the dead body fell to the wooden floor with a soft thud, Tom took his position at the rail. Bringing the rifle to his shoulder, he pressed the cold metal to his cheek and peered through the scope. Adjusting the focus, he lined up the crosshairs on a lone guard at the back of the camp and calmly pulled the trigger with the steadiest of hands.

_"phtudt"_

The guard dropped to the ground unnoticed. Tom felt a familiar sense of satisfaction. This was what he had been trained all his life to do... he was a killer. Just because he had switched sides, it didn't mean his long buried instincts were gone.

He could see the prisoners being rounded up and herded toward the waiting trucks at the gate. Spying another guard entering a tent, he lined up the man's head in the crosshairs and fired.

_"phtudt"_

He watched the body fall into the tent out of sight.

Tom silently kept count as he scanned the grounds of the camp and continued to take out the soldiers one by one. His actions so far going unnoticed by all but the dominants who were well aware of his presence. Each truck was being loaded by the driver as the four remaining guards kept order from within the compound. As the last of the procession of prisoners were filing through the gate, all hell broke loose when one of the soldiers turned around and saw the ground littered with his comrades.

His shouts were cut short by the bullet Tom put through his heart but it was too late. Tom watched the scene unfold as if in slow motion. The remaining guards brought their weapons up and started firing as the prisoners scattered. Screams and shouting could barely be heard over the gun fire. Bill went down first as a rain of bullets cut through him where he stood at the gate. Randy was hit in the chest, his body flew into the air as a spray of blood exited his back. Sonny jumped from of his truck with his M60 ready and opened fire on the soldiers as they ran for cover. Two went down as Tom took out the last one from the tower. It was over, but the aftermath was bloody.

The sudden silence was deafening. The smell of gunpowder strong in the air as Tom descended from the tower. He locked eyes with Sonny and approached him, trying to ignore the soft sobbing of women still alive crying over the dead bodies of their loved ones.

"Jesus!" Sonny swore, running his hand through his hair. "That was too God damn close!"

"How many did we lose?" Tom solemnly asked as he now looked around at the bodies littering the ground.

"About twenty." Jake stated quietly as he joined the other two men. "We got about twenty more that are wounded. There's a doc in the group that's looking at them now."

"Let's transfer the bikes and supplies to one of the trucks." Tom sighed, scrubbing his face with his hand. "We'll put the dead in that vehicle as well."

"Good idea." Sonny nodded his head. "We can put the doc together with the injured in another. It might be a little cozy for everyone but I don't want to leave anyone behind."

"So... Does anyone have any idea exactly where this camp in the San Gabriel Mountains is?" Jake asked no one in particular.

"I do." a new voice announced as a man approached the group. Sticking out his hand he added, "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm James Nolan."

"You're the one I talked to through the fence yesterday." Tom stated, shaking his hand.

"Yes." James replied with a slight smile. "Several of us know where the camp is and we can lead you right to it."

"Good." Sonny exclaimed. "How about you and the others in the know ride shotgun in the cabs and navigate?"

"That sounds good to me." James said. "I'll go gather up the others and tell them of the plans."

"OK." Jake sighed. "Let's get these trucks reloaded so we can get the hell out of here."

Tom turned to Sonny as Jake walked away and anxiously asked. "Where's Nick? Did he find his daughter? Is she alright?"

Sonny smiled and pointed his head in the direction of three people huddled close together, "Yup. He's right over there."

"I'm going to go have a word with him, then I'll come back and help with the bodies." Tom said as he started to walk away.

"Take your time." Sonny yelled. "It's going to take us awhile to unload everything."

Tom slowly walked toward the small group. As he neared the three, he could see Nick had his daughter in a bear hug.

"You must be Jim, I'm Tom." he said turning to the young man that hovered near Nick's daughter.

"Thank you ... for getting us out of that hell." Jim nodded in affirmation.

Nick caught sight of Tom and stretched out his hand. "I can't thank you enough for getting Jim and my Kelly out of there. I owe you a lifetime of favors."

Tom shook Nick's hand, noticing the moist shine in his eyes. "You don't owe me anything. I'm glad I could help. I consider your assistance and friendship payment enough."

"Well you sure got both of those for life!" Nick exclaimed. "Now then, let me introduce you all. You already met Jim there. This here is Kelly." he added, squeezing her shoulder for emphasis.

"It's good to meet you Kelly." Tom nodded toward the girl. Looking again at Nick, he said, "We're reloading the trucks to make more room for the injured. We lost Bill and Randy, we'll need two drivers."

"I can drive one of them." Jim offered.

"No son, I'd rather you stayed with us in the truck I'm driving." Nick announced. "We got plenty of men here that can drive these brutes." Giving Tom a steady look he solemnly added, "I'm really sorry about your friends."

Tom silently nodded, not knowing what to say. What do you say when someone dies senselessly fighting a battle in a war that no one wants or understands? With a sigh, he turned back toward the trucks and walked away.

x.x.x

Tom was tired ... bone tired ... and they still had a long drive ahead of them. It had taken them hours to repack the trucks and load up the dead. Tom took the lead, James riding with him in the cab. He wanted to talk to the man and was glad he'd agreed to the arrangement. The San Gabriel camp was at least a hundred fifty miles away. The trip made more treacherous by the fact they were taking two lane mountain roads in the dark to avoid detection.

Tom was gathering his thoughts as they made their way along the narrow road. James broke the silence first, "You're a Chameleon aren't you?"

"Yes." Tom answered quietly.

"But you are helping humans?" James asked. "I don't understand."

"Yes... yes I am." Tom nodded his head. "I came to realize that this war of ours... this desire to wipe out the humans... it was unnecessary. I believe we can coexist."

"I'm intrigued." James stated with slight surprise. "What made you change your mind? To go against programming is unheard of for a Chameleon."

The corners of Tom's mouth twitched as he answered, "It's a long story if you care to hear it."

"I'm all ears."

Tom proceeded to tell James the story of how he'd gotten to where he was today. He told how he'd met Sloan and started helping her, the things they'd discovered about not only the dominant's hidden agenda but the humans' as well. He told him of his capture and imprisonment ... and his escape later, carefully leaving out the part about what they'd discovered of their origins. He finished his tale with how they'd met up with Nick and aided him with the rescue of his daughter as well as the rest of the interment camp's prisoners.

"That's quite a story." James said finally. "This Sloan must be a very special woman."

"Yes ... she is." Tom agreed with a tiny smile.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Tom added glancing at James.

"No, not at all." James replied.

"How old are you?" Tom asked without giving away his thoughts.

"I'm 48." James answered. "Why do you ask?"

"You're one of the originals." Tom stated glancing at him again. "I thought you might be."

James looked at Tom in shock, "You don't seem surprised. What do you know about the project?"

"I know we didn't evolve, we were engineered." Tom said. "We're descended from forty scientists that volunteered to have their DNA altered as part of a genetic experiment in 1947."

"Yes." James stated. "Project Starchild it was called. How do you know about all this?"

"Before we left the facility where we were imprisoned, we found some files on it." Tom answered. "The project was moved to Oaxaca, Mexico where the breeding was started. We were designed to be smarter, faster and stronger so mankind could survive."

"The project was terminated in 1964 by the government." Tom continued. "That area in Oaxaca was completely destroyed when I was there. No living creature could have survived."

"You were in Oaxaca?" James exclaimed raising his eyebrows. "That was very dangerous. That area is still monitored by the US government, as well as by our own people."

"We discovered that when we were there." Tom said. "We set off sensors after discovering the pillar and security teams were dispatched."

"You found the pillar!" James' eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.

"Yes." Tom replied. "Walter had it dug up and transported to California where we studied it. We discovered that the markings were a celestial map."

"You dug it up and moved it?" James cried out. "Oh my God! It's a wonder you and your friends are still alive. That pillar is very important. It contains data the government has been trying to discover for years."

"Well, the pillar was destroyed when we were found by other dominants." Tom stated. "We barely escaped with our lives before blowing up the building."

"It makes sense that our people would have come after it." James said. "We have guarded that above all else. We would never have wanted it to fall into the government's hands."

"We were able to decipher one bit of information from it before we were attacked." Tom added. "A date... October 18, 1998. The next time Kewley's Comet is suppose to appear."

"How did you figure that out?" James asked thinking there was no end to the surprises he was going to get from this man. "You would have needed a key."

Tom thought carefully before answering, uncertain if he should reveal the information about the tattoo. He looked hard at James and decided he was worth trusting. "I have a tattoo on my shoulder. When we scanned it into the computer, the date was revealed to us."

James was startled with that information. "You are Chosen."

"I was told that by my mother." Tom shuddered remembering the experience. "But I don't know what that means."

"I also don't understand the significance of Kewley's Comet." Tom added. "Or why the project in Oaxaca was terminated in 1964. Or why that pillar was so important. Or why we were even created in the first place... what were we suppose to be able to survive?"

James ran his hand through his hair before turning and giving Tom a very pointed look. "There is a lot you don't know. I can answer some of your questions but, even I don't know all the answers."

"James, I'd accept anything you can tell me at this point." Tom said. "I know nothing about our people. My memories were erased when I went into Chameleon training. I was always taught that we were a superior species, meant to wipe out the humans. Needless to say, when I found out about Project Starchild I was stunned."

"Yes... Erasing Chameleon's memories was considered standard procedure." James nodded. "Their work was too sensitive to risk them being captured and exposing us. I am curious though, what led you to go through those files at that facility in the first place? I would think escape would have been your primary concern."

"My mentor, Lewis, was also imprisoned with me. He was severely tortured." Tom related. "Right before he died, he said the answers and the questions were all there ... at the facility where we were being held. While we were waiting for it to get dark, I did a little snooping."

"So Lewis is dead." James acknowledged. "It's hard to believe. After everything that man went through, everything he did, I was beginning to think he was immortal."

"What do you mean by 'everything he went through'?" Tom asked.

"When the government decided to shut down the project in Oaxaca, Lewis's family still lived there." James informed Tom. "As I understand it, the government wanted us all dead ... they didn't want any of us left alive to tell what they had done. They leveled the place, completely wiped out every living thing in the area."

"Lewis's entire family was killed." James continued. "His parents, siblings, nieces, nephews ... all of them. That's why he hated humans so much. He blamed all humans for his loss, not just the government. He's the one that started the Chameleon program. While most of us were content to hide our identities and try to blend in, he was not. There were a few that felt the same way he did, that we needed to fight back - to be prepared to wage a war. After what happened in Mexico, it didn't take much to convince the assembly of that."

"Hmmm ... that explains a lot about Lewis." Tom acknowledged. "I always got the impression that to him it was all personal."

"Yes ... it was very personal for him." James agreed. "In the end though it seems he wanted you to know the truth. So in that regard, what would you like to know first?"

"It's hard to decide where to start I have so many questions." Tom admitted. "How about 'The Chosen'? What does that mean? And why was a key to data on the pillar tattooed on my back?"

"The Chosen were just that ... chosen. You tested to be among the best of our people." James answered. "Those that were determined to be the strongest ... the best, were 'chosen' to carry the keys to the pillar, hence the name."

"But a tattoo? Tom asked. "That seems to be an odd way to carry information or even keys to information."

"As I said before, that pillar contained data our people did not want the government to get its hands on." James replied. "What better way to hide it than to encrypt the keys to unlock it and put it on a person's body? If you were captured, no one would have suspected what it was and no matter how much you were tortured, you could never reveal it."

"So there are others that have these tattoos like me?" Tom queried. "And what data was in this pillar that was so sensitive?"

"Not exactly like yours but yes, there are others that have tattoos that are keys." James said. "As for what was on the pillar, even I don't know that. That was by design. None of us know. It would only have been revealed when and if the time came that we needed to know."

"Who was to decide what that time was?" Tom asked.

"The assembly of course." James stated.

"So why did the government decide to create us in the first place?" Tom inquired further. "Just to turn around and decide to destroy us?"

"We were created to survive as you already know." James said. "From what my parents told me, scientists in the 30's and 40's were just beginning to track astrological bodies and attempting to predict their trajectory. Kewley's Comet passed close to the Earth in 1940. Scientists plotted the comet's course and calculated that the next time it passed Earth would be in 1964. They predicted that the comet would pass much too close to the Earth's atmosphere and would cause destruction of significant global proportions. Our people were meant to be able to survive that, so that the human race would not become extinct.

"After the comet passed in 1964 and the end of the world did not occur," James continued. "The government decided they didn't need us anymore. They had technology by that time that would give them advance warnings. We had bred as intended and there were too many of us. They no longer felt comfortable about being able to control us. So they ordered us exterminated. What they didn't realize is that most of us had already scattered after their action was anticipated. Our people had hid information in that pillar as well and buried it so the government wouldn't find it."

"What I don't understand is how scientists in the 40's were able to achieve the type of DNA altering that they did?" Tom ventured. "We didn't have the technology for that during that era."

"I can't answer you on that one." James stated. "But I'm sure that information was stored in the pillar as well."

x.x.x


	5. Part 5 Journeys

**Part 5: Journeys**

_"Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."  
-Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet_

_"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart."  
-Confucius_

_"The longest journey of any person is the journey inward."  
-Dag Hammerskjvld_

Dawn was just cresting over the tops of the San Gabriel's when the ragtag group of refugees began rumbling into the camp. Despite their exhaustion and anguish, the mood sense was of utter jubilation. The emotion began to catch hold and spread along the caravan. As the first truck rolled to a stop with a hiss of its air brakes, cheering and laughter had begun to erupt from under the canvas covers.

Those in the camp, already awake and moving about, turned toward the commotion to meet the new arrivals. Others exited their tents, looking on in curiosity. The dominants of the settlement had already sensed that many of those in the convoy were their own kind. Tom and James descended from the cab of their truck just as two men approached them with smiles and outstretched hands.

"Morning." Tom said shaking hands with the two men. "We're looking for a safe haven for these people and were told your settlement might be a good place to start."

"You're an unexpected surprise, but you have found your sanctuary. We are refuge to wayward dominants and their repulsive human sympathizers," one of the men replied with a grin. "I'm Bill Davidson and this is Michael Clark. How many of you are there?"

"We have just under five hundred." James answered shaking hands with the men. "We lost several during the breakout and we have several more wounded."

"Five hundred!" Mike Clark whistled as he looked down the long line of trucks where people were beginning to climb down from under the canvas coverings. "Where did you breakout from?"

"We were all being held in an internment camp at Fort Erwin, until Tom here and his friends planned our escape." James replied, wearily rubbing the back of his neck.

"An internment camp!" Bill voiced his surprise. "This is the first time I believe we've ever heard of an entire prison camp escaping. We've had one or two straggle in here that managed to escape, but never an entire camp."

"If you wouldn't mind holding off on your questions..." Tom began. "These people have been through hell. We'd like to get them unloaded and set up a triage to tend to the injured. That is if they are welcome to stay." he held his breath waiting for an answer.

"Hell yeah you're welcome to stay!" Bill said. "We don't turn anyone away. You get your folks organized and we'll get the medical tent ready for the wounded. We have a couple doctors here that can give you all some assistance."

Tom sighed with relief. "Thank you. Umm ... In one of the trucks, we also have about twenty dead."

Mike nodded his head solemnly. "We'll see to your dead too Tom. Let's take care of the others first though. They've been through enough."

x.x.x

Evening settled over the camp as the weary refugees took stock of their plight and tried to calm frazzled nerves. The day had been long and somber, tending the wounded and burying their dead. The cuts, scrapes, and injuries could be mended, and would heal over time. But the anguish and heartbreak of their ordeal might never ease. Everything they'd suffered at the hands of the government was out of fear and ignorance, that fact would never be forgotten.

People milled about as the two groups got acquainted. Children ran and played as they chased each other in a game of tag, some of them laughing for the first time in months. Parents hovered on the fringes of the game, relief clearly showing on their faces.

Tom took it all in as he made his way to a group of men gathered around of fire pit near the center of the camp. Nick and Scott saw his approach and made room for him in their circle. Sonny, James, Jake, and Jim were present, as well as others from the camp. Tom sat down on the log in the space they'd offered him trying to stifle a yawn.

"How you holdin' up Tom?" Nick asked in a concerned voice.

"Tired," Tom replied. "How about you?"

"I gotta admit, I been better." Nick said. "But I'm glad it's over."

Tom nodded silently in agreement then turned to look at Jim, "How are you doing? How's Kelly?"

Jim exhaled a long breath, "I'll be fine eventually. Kelly will too. It's just going to take some time."

"So what are your plans now Tom?" Sonny asked joining the conversation. "You still going into LA?"

"Yes." Tom said. "I have to find out what happened to Sloan."

At Tom's statement, another young man in the group whipped his head around sharply and stared at him in astonishment. "You can't possibly be serious! LA is a war zone!" Shaking his head slightly to himself, he stuck out his hand, "Sorry, guess I better introduce myself. I'm Robert. I just got here myself a couple days ago."

"Robert," Tom said shaking the man's hand. "I understand the danger, but I have to go. I have no choice."

"This Sloan was someone close to you I take it?" Robert folded his arms across his knees.

"Yes." Tom answered quietly.

"You'll be lucky to get in and out of there alive. You know that don't you?" Robert asked.

"Yes." Tom said with a hint of a smile. "But I can be pretty resourceful when I need to be. Were you there right up to the end?"

"Yes and no," Robert replied. "I lived and worked up at the Mount Wilson Observatory. Shortly before all hell broke loose, we made a discovery and I had to go down into L.A. to collaborate our findings with astronomers from Palomar. I barely made it back out of there with my head intact."

James sat across the fire from Tom and looked up sharply with the revelation. Tom locked eyes with James and asked, "What did you find that would cause you to risk your safety and go into the city?"

"Kewley's Comet ... we had been tracking its trajectory because it's suppose to swing our way on October 18th." Robert began. "But according to our calculations, its course had changed slightly from what we'd expected to see. Based on our findings, it appeared that the comet was going to come much closer to Earth than we'd anticipated. The astronomers at Palomar have much more sophisticated equipment than we did. So we wanted to compare notes."

Tom held his breath, "What did you come up with after your meeting?"

"It's hard to say exactly." Robert continued. "You have to understand that when you are tracking something that large that far away, the slightest change can equal a great variation from our point of view as potentially being ground zero. We all came away from that meeting agreeing we needed more data. We designated it an Orange and decided to keep a close eye on the changes in the comet's orbit as it got closer to Earth. But before we could gather that data, we lost control of all the satellites and all communications went down, then we lost power at the observatory."

James cleared his throat and spoke up, "Orange? What does that mean?"

Robert now held the attention of not just Tom and James, but the rest of the men gathered as well. "The Torino Scale is used to categorize or rate the impact hazard of an orbital body, much the same way as hurricanes are rated as Category 1 through 5. The scale ranges from 0, no impact hazard to 10 meaning collision is imminent. The scale is also color coded with numbers 2 through 4 being assigned to Yellow; 5 through 7 are Orange; and 8 through 10 are Red. The Orange designation we gave Kewley's Comet meant 'threatening event'. You only designate an asteroid or comet as Orange if the likelihood of collision exceeds what we normally see and by its shear size, its impact would cause significant devastation. The problem is, we never got enough data to narrow down exactly where within the orange range it fell. It may not sound like a great difference, but it is."

Tom leaned forward with a piercing look. "What type of damage are we talking about?"

Robert ran his hand through his hair. "Well... If the comet just passes us as closely as we thought it might, we'll likely see some meteor showers from debris from the tail. If any of this debris is large enough and it hits one of the oceans, it would create a Tsunami. If it hits land, it would cause a crater and the force of the impact could trigger Earthquakes. The gravitational pull from the comet interacting with that of the moon could cause shifts in tides, which would affect the weather. If the comet itself hits, we're talking about a global catastrophe."

Tom frowned, "A lot of 'if's' in that statement. Based on what you know, what does your gut tell you?"

"It's gonna be close, real close." Robert replied with deadly seriousness. "The comet may or may not hit, but we'll definitely see some fireworks and affects from it.

"Worst case scenario... what is the risk to the people here?" James asked.

"Worst case ... a large meteor hits the Pacific Ocean." Robert answered. "That would generate a Tsunami thousands of feet high. The Pacific coast would be hit with a wall of water that would wipe out everything. The Central Valley would be under water. The impact would trigger major Earthquakes. I'm not a geologist, but I would venture to guess that would cause a major shift of the Pacific plate, which in turn, could trigger some volcanic eruptions along the Cascades and the Long Valley Caldera. If the asteroid were to hit land, it would be like setting off 100's of Hiroshima bombs, you don't even want to think about it. "

"Jesus!" Sonny yelped. "We're safe here, right? Being up in the mountains?"

"No, not really." Robert shook his head as he spoke. "We're too near the San Andreas. We need to be on the other side of the Sierra Nevada's and nowhere near any potentially volcanic regions to be safe."

"Well..." Bill grimaced as he stood up and stretched his arms, bones popping. "Looks like we'll start planning a big relocation tomorrow. We've got time if it isn't supposed to pass us till October 18th. I think I'm gonna go sleep on it awhile."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Mike agreed and rose as well. "We can start going over what we have and what we'll need."

Scott looked at Tom, "So Tom, when we leaving for L.A.?"

"Scott, I think you'd be better off staying with the members of the camp." Tom replied. "L.A. is going to be very dangerous, you'd be safer staying here.

Upon seeing Scott's dejected look, Tom continued, "I'm not rejecting you Scott. I'm going to need someone with a little more combat training if I want to get in and out of there quickly."

Scott nodded in silence, he understood completely.

Tom turned to James, "How you feel about taking a trip into L.A.?"

James tilted his head slightly to the side as he regarded Tom, "I could use a vacation. I'm in."

x.x.x

Sloan walked into the kitchen to see Lou sitting at the table with papers spread out before him. His head was bent in concentration as he read, occasionally using the pen he held to write remarks in the corners of a paper.

She grabbed a cup of coffee and joined him at the table, "Whacha got there?"

Lou started slightly, looked up and grinned, "Some essays my students wrote. I want to use them in another assignment when the school year starts again.."

Sloan smiled and craned her neck to peer at the one closest to her, "Can I see?"

Lou waved his hand at the papers, "Sure, be my guest."

Sloan grabbed a paper off the top of the pile, "The Sun Dance?" She looked up at Lou questioningly.

Lou rested his arms on the table and explained, "The Sun Dance is an ancient Indian ceremony. It's practiced at Summer Solstice and symbolizes the circle of life. My students' assignment was to pick an Indian tradition or legend and to write about it. It gives them the opportunity to study their heritage ... " he chuckled, "... and to practice their writing skills."

"Really?" she perked raising her eyebrows smiling. "That sounds fascinating. Pretty sneaky too, you're tricking them into learning more than they think."

Sloan's eyes sparkled as she began to get more excited about their topic. "So this Sun Dance is just one thing they wrote about? What else did they pick?"

"Well, let's see what we got here," Lou started shuffling through the essays. "Here's one on the Thunderbird. Here's another on the legend of White Buffalo Calf Woman." He frowned as he looked at the next paper, "Hmmm, this one is about The Longest Walk. Not exactly what I asked for, but I can live with History."

"So is there one there about this legend your grandfather was talking about?" Sloan asked, looking up with an almost innocent smile.

Lou laughed as he leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her, "Oh you're good! Here I thought you were really interested in this and you were just fishing for information."

Sloan shook her head in denial, "That's not true Lou! I really am interested in what your students wrote."

Lou's grin grew broader, "uh-huh... And you're also very interested in what my grandfather didn't tell you too."

She propped her elbow on the table and placed her chin in her hand as she looked at him with wide eyes. "Well of course I am. It's another legend isn't it? It falls into the topic of conversation."

Lou snorted as he stood from the table and gathered the papers together, "Nice try Sloan, but it isn't gonna work." He started to walk away from the table.

She jumped up to follow him, "Can't you even give me a hint?"

He turned to smirk at her, shaking his head. "No."

x.x.x

Tom watched the fires burning in morbid fascination. High from the hilltop he and James were parked on, the orange flames could be seen dancing toward the night sky. A haze of smoke hovered over the city and the rattling of gunfire could be heard in the distance.

For reasons Tom didn't understand, James agreed to accompany him on his quest to find Sloan. While his motives may be in question, Tom welcomed his company. He enjoyed talking to the man and wanted to learn more about their history. He was also confident that should the need arise; James could handle himself in a fight.

He had no doubt they'd see their share of action before they made it back out of the city. Not only were they looking for clues as to what happened to Sloan and the others, they were also going to try and get desperately needed medical supplies for those back in the camp. The plan was to get in, get what they needed, get out, and return to the camp. In theory it sounded simple enough, but Tom knew better.

The news they'd heard of L.A. had been grim with reports of murder in the streets and rampant destruction. People told stories of barely making it out with their lives. He and James were descending into the bowels of that hell. Common sense told him he should stay out of the city, but that was not an option. He had to try to find her and that was where he had to start. It wasn't a desire; it was a need... an all-consuming passion. The longer he went without knowing if she was alive and safe, the more intense the ache in his heart became. He couldn't bare the unanswered question any longer, he had to know. ... Even if his answer was his worst fear.

"Well are we going in or are we gonna stand here all night and stare at it?" James queried.

Tom started, realizing he'd been lost in his thoughts. Turning to James, he saw the raised eyebrow and the slight grin on his face. Shaking his head, he kick-started the bike. He was beginning to find out his companion had a bit of a sense of humor. "Yeah, let's go."

x.x.x

They slowly rode through the old Pasadena neighborhood, the Harley's engines rumbling in a distinctive growl. Those that were out prowling the ruins this night cut the pair of leather-clad men a wide path. Even the toughest street punk knew not to tangle with someone in leather, on a hog, carrying an M16 on their back. These men didn't look like they'd much care who it was that got in their way; everyone got the same kind of justice.

When they pulled up next to the burnout building, they stopped and cut their engines. Tom stared stone faced at what used to be Sloan's apartment building.

James let out a low whistle, "Looks like a missile hit the lower level. Is this where she used to live?"

Tom nodded his head silently as he dismounted his bike, "Stay here and cover me."

James planted both feet on the ground, straddling the bike, as he brought his rifle around and took off the safety. Tom carried his weapon at the ready and slowly walked toward the ruins.

Climbing through the brick and concrete, he reached out with his senses. Finding no immediate threat, he disappeared inside.

He scaled the precarious staircase and found Sloan's apartment. Entering through the blackened doorway, he started sorting through the rubble of what used to be her things. He kicked pieces of broken pottery and furniture aside looking for anything that would give him a clue. Just as he was about to give up the search, he noticed the glitter of glass among the ruins. Reaching out, he picked up the picture of Sloan and her sister that used to set on her mantle. The wood was charred and the glass was broken, but the photo remained intact. He removed it from frame and put it in his front jacket pocket, tossing the remains back into the pile.

As Tom prepared to exit the building, he sensed others outside. Their malevolent emotions were on the surface as was their intent. He crept to the remaining partial outer wall and reached out again to sense the intruders. There were four of them, humans, who'd spotted James and the bikes. Tom watched as two of the men approached James. Raising his weapon, he trained on their position and waited to see what happened.

"Yo! Old man! Wha 'chew doin' hangin' out on our street?"

"This 'hood be dangerous at night, wha 'chew thinkin' man?"

James addressed what was apparently the leader. "I appreciate your concern, but we aren't staying long."

"Yeah? Dat's pimp-tight pops, but I th'o't ya should be givin' me somethin' fo' sittin' on muh curb. Dat's uh nice ride you's be sittin' on. I th'o't I'd like'd ta gots one o' those. Iz not like ya need two o' dem."

"Yeah?" James chuckled "Well, since you seem to think I'm going to let you have one of them, you might like to know my partner has a semi-automatic rifle pointed your back."

Tom's voice was cold as steel as he called out from his hiding place, "If you're smart, you'll walk away now." But he knew they weren't as he sensed the other two creeping into position behind where James sat. Looking down the sight, he found his first target and squeezed the trigger.

Before the punk even fell, James shot the one standing in front of him. The man went down with a shocked look on his face as the other one hit the dirt and tried to roll under a car for better cover. Without missing a beat, James swung his arm around and started firing behind him as Tom took out the one on the ground. Knowing all four were dead, Tom emerged from the building and approached James.

James cocked an eyebrow at his new friend, "This neighborhood is going to the dogs."

Tom threw him a glance, the corners of his mouth twitching, but said nothing. He started walking towards what looked like Sloan's car parked in the street. Opening the door, he got in and started rummaging through the glove box. He found a receipt from a store near Palmdale. Digging between and under the seats, he found a slip of paper with an address and directions in the same area. For once he was glad for her carelessness because now he had a starting point to look. He got out of the car and walked back toward the bikes.

"Well?" James asked as Tom mounted his ride.

"I found an address and directions to some place in Palmdale," he replied. "Let's head for the University and get the supplies we need. I want to get back to the camp so we can go check it out."

x.x.x

"Hey you! Whacha doin' sittin' out here with such a sorrowful look?" Mari asked Ed as she ruffled his hair and plopped down next to him.

He gave her a grin as he smoothed his hair back out of his face. "What is it with you and my hair?"

"You Ed, remind me of a little boy trapped in the body of a 6 foot 2 man. Little boys just need to have their hair messed up," she answered as she made a grab for his head.

Ed caught her hands and held them as he once again rested his arms across his thighs. His smile faded and he dropped his head.

Mari frowned as she studied his profile. She could sense he was very disturbed about something, but she couldn't make out what it was. "Sweetie, what's botherin' you?" she asked in a careful tone.

He sighed, raising his head to stare at nothing in front of him, "I was just thinking about Walter, and everything else that's happened. I can't stop feeling like we've only seen the tip of the iceberg in this mess." He gave her sidelong glance.

She rescued one of her hands and slipped her arm around him, sensing he needed some comfort. "Well, you may be right, probably are in fact. But it ain't gonna do any good worrin' about it. What will come, will come. All we can do is wait and see what happens, try to be prepared."

He turned to look at her, "Mari, I'm a doctor. I'm supposed to save lives, not take them. I'm not comfortable with deaths that have had my involvement, even if I didn't pull the trigger."

"Ed, death is part of life. Everyone dies, you can't avoid it. Walter's death wasn't your fault, neither was the deaths of those soldiers. When you are at war, it's kill or be killed."

He looked at her with such intensity; it was as though he were searching for answers in her eyes. He cradled her hand in both of his, then dropped his stare to their clasped hands.

"Sweetie," she continued softly, "This is about survival... ours. If it comes down to it, you'll be there to save lives, not take them."

Ed closed his eyes and nodded his acceptance. Mari patted his back and laid her head on his shoulder trying to project some solace into his troubled soul.

x.x.x

It was past dawn by the time Tom and James managed to pull up near what used to be Whitney University. They'd already had to dodge soldiers several times by backtracking so their senses were on high alert.

"Well, what do you think? Think they have guards posted inside?" James asked as he cut the engine.

Tom studied the grounds through the binoculars in his hand, "I don't see anyone, but that doesn't mean they aren't there." Lowering the binoculars he continued. "Just in case, I think we should push the bikes up closer so we can make a silent approach and have a fast getaway if we need it."

"Good idea." James responded as he got off the scooter and started walking with Tom following suit.

The men reached out with their senses as far as they could as they carefully threaded their way through the parking lot and approached the medical building. They left the bikes near the entrance, hidden from view behind some shrubs, and went inside.

The first thing they noticed was the disarray. Shattered glass was everywhere. What had been potted plants now lay dead in crumpled heaps. Pieces of broken furniture were thrown about amid scattered papers. As they neared the doors of the medical lab, they noticed bloodstains on the floor and walls. Still sensing no one around, they entered the lab.

Tom had his weapon ready and covered James as he removed the empty pack from his back. He started going through cabinets, find bandages in one, surgical instruments in another; each time emptying the contents into the pack.

When he'd checked all those in the room, he turned to Tom, "We have everything we need except the medicine we came for. It'll probably be locked up in a secure area."

Tom nodded in agreement, "Let's find it and get the hell out of here before we get caught."

They wound their way deeper into the labs. Finally they came upon a room with reinforced glass in the window. Trying the door, they found it was locked.

"Bingo." James grinned at Tom. "Good thing locks are made for humans huh?" He grabbed the doorknob and grunted as he gave it a hard twist. The lock gave way and the door opened. Inside were locked cabinets filled with vials of antibiotics and painkillers. Using his elbow, he broke the glass front of each and carefully scooped the vials into the pack.

Just as James announced he was done and had placed the heavy pack on his back, they heard whimpering and a shuffle coming from one of the darkened rooms. He looked at Tom as he removed the safety from his weapon. There was clearly someone in the next room, but neither could sense them. That meant whoever it was, they had to be one of their own with the ability to mask.

The men were on high alert as they entered the office. Creeping deeper into the dark space, they again heard a mewl.

Tom stopped and called out quietly, "Whoever you are, we won't hurt you. Come out and show yourself."

Tom opened himself so the party would know his intent. James felt the action and did the same. A woman emerged from behind a divider carrying a weapon of her own. She was dirty and covered with scrapes and scratches, her clothing torn in several places.

She leveled the men with a look that clearly indicated she meant business, "Who are you and what do you want?"

James lowered his weapon first, leaning it against the nearest wall, and raised his hands in front of him. "We are no threat to you. We came here looking for supplies and heard crying. Are you injured?"

The woman's eyes darted quickly to Tom, then back to James, "Are you soldiers?"

Tom lowered his own weapon, "No. Who are you? Why are you hiding here in such a high risk area?"

The woman stared at him hard for several minutes before she answered. "I'm hiding here so I can be close to supplies I need. The ones you have clearly taken."

James asked again, "Are you injured? You don't appear to be."

The woman finally relaxed her stance and lowered her rifle. "No, I'm not... but she is." She tilted her head toward the divider wall behind her to indicate there was another person hidden there.

Tom handed his weapon to James and slowly moved forward. The woman immediately went back on the defensive. "Can I get a look at her? Tom asked. "Maybe we can help."

She seemed to think about that for a moment, then nodded, "Unless you're a doctor, I doubt you'll be able to help her. She is seriously hurt."

Tom made his way behind the divider and found a young girl lying on a couch, covered in dried blood. He dropped to his knees beside her and started to try and access her injuries.

The woman came around behind him, "I managed to stop the bleeding. I've been giving her antibiotics to prevent infection, but I think she has internal injuries."

"What happened to her?" James asked as he hovered near the entrance.

"She was attacked by a group of assholes that thought she was a dominant," the woman answered snidely. "Apparently we are beneath humans, but we still serve some purposes... the females anyway."

Her meaning clearly understood, James grimaced, "She's just a kid. How'd she get away?"

"She wouldn't have if I hadn't killed the bastards. But the damage was already done; one of them had a fondness for knives. Anyway, I didn't know what else to do, she was in so much pain, so I brought her here."

Tom raised his head and looked at the woman, "She's human?"

"Yeah, she's human. What the hell does that have to do with anything?" the woman barked. "She's a kid and an innocent, I couldn't just leave her there to die or worse."

Tom understood her anger, he was feeling some of his own, but he needed to get her to calm down. He needed her cooperation if they were going to help the unconscious girl. He sat back on his heels and looked at the woman. "Do you have a name?"

The woman snorted, "Yeah, it's Sheila. How about you?"

"I'm Tom, that's James." Tom nodded toward the other man, then looked back up at her. "Sheila, we are not anti-human, far from it, we can get you and the girl out of here and to safety, but you are going to have to trust us."

Sheila's eyes shifted from Tom to James then back again, "I'm a little short on trust these days. How about I give you the benefit of the doubt?"

James smirked, "That'll work for me. How about you Tom?"

Tom carefully picked up the girl and rose to his feet, "I'll take what I can get. Sheila? Are you as good with an M16 as you appear to be with that rifle?"

Sheila smiled and grabbed Tom's gun, "I love new toys." She expertly removed the safety and loaded the weapon. "Any questions?"

James raised his eyebrows and looked at Tom. Grinning, he looked at Sheila, "I like your style woman."

She growled at him and turned to lead the way out of the labs. Tom followed her with James trailing up the rear for cover.

James leaned closer to Tom, "I think I'm in love."

"I heard that!"

Tom chuckled and rolled his eyes. This was going to be an interesting trip back to the camp.

x.x.x

Lou let the screen door slam as he walked out of the house and down the steps. His long strides carried him over to the picnic table where David sat cleaning weapons.

"You got a minute?" Lou asked as he straddled the bench and sat down.

David looked up from his task, "Sure."

"I spoke to my Grandfather right after all of you got here about planning something for the anniversary of your friend's death." Lou stated. "Something that would give Sloan and the others a chance to say goodbye."

At the mention of Sloan's name, Lou had David's full attention. Lou noticed the change, but said nothing and continued. "Grandfather has spoken to the other elders and we've put together a Powwow for the end of the week. I'd like your opinion on how to tell Sloan. You seem to be the closest to her, I thought you would have some insight."

"Sloan was tore up over Walter's death, but she doesn't do well with secrets." David responded. "I think just telling her the truth would be the best approach."

Lou nodded as he tilted his head and considered the other man, "How do you think she's going to handle the secret your keeping?"

David tried to cover his surprise at the question, "Secret? What secret?"

Lou smiled, "You love her don't you?"

David's eyes widened, but Lou continued, "You don't have to answer the question, but it is obvious, at least it is to me."

David scratched his eyebrow and cut a glance at Lou, "You sure you're human?"

Lou let out a laugh, "Yeah... I'm sure. But I'm a very observant human. I knew the night you asked me about the notebook. Your secret's safe with me, so don't worry about it."

David let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you."

Lou frowned, "What are you going to do if Tom is alive and shows up?"

"I'll step aside and hope she's happy." David answered quietly.

Lou examined the man in front of him in a new light. "You love her enough to actually let her go?"

David silently nodded his acknowledgment.

Lou rose from the bench and clasped the other man's shoulder, "Brother, I'm not sure I could do it. Sloan is a very special woman. I'm glad I'm not you." With that, he walked back toward the house.

x.x.x

They made it back without incident. Tom had cradled the girl in front him while Sheila rode with James. When they rolled into the camp, Scott was the first the greet them. As soon as he saw the girl, he ran to get help.

Tom carried her to the medical tent with Sheila hovering close behind. One of the camp doctors came in just as Tom laid the girl on one of the beds. After checking her pupils, taking her pulse and blood pressure, the doctor started to lift her shirt. Sheila's arm shot out like a bullet and grabbed his wrist.

The doctor sighed, sat back on the bed and looked at her, "I have to examine the girl to determine what her injuries are."

Sheila looked at him and nodded her head, "Ok, but I want the room cleared except for me and you."

"Fair enough," he turned and addressed the small group that had gathered. "You heard the lady, everybody out."

Tom was the last to exit after making sure everyone else followed orders. Scott and James met him outside with a cup of coffee. "Thanks." he said taking a grateful gulp.

Together, the three walked to the campfire and settled onto one of the logs. Tom closed his eyes and scrubbed his face with one hand.

"Rough day?" Bill asked.

Tom looked at him and squinted, "You could say that."

"Where'd you find the two women?"

"They were hidden at the university. We found them when we were searching for medical supplies." Tom answered taking another sip of his coffee.

Before Bill asked his next question, Tom cut a glance sideways at Scott and shook his head slightly at Bill. The movement was barely noticeable but Bill caught on right away.

"Scott," he said looking at the young man. "I bet Tom and James are hungry. Why don't you go see if you can sweet talk Amy and Janice into fixing them something to eat."

Scott stood up and started walking away, "I may be able to sweet talk Amy into it, but Janice will just box my ears."

Bill chuckled as he picked up a stick and started poking at the fire. "That bad?"

"Yeah," Tom sighed. "The girl was beaten and raped by humans that thought she was a dominant. The woman, Sheila, rescued her and hid her at the medical labs."

"Sheila acts like she's one tough cookie." Nick joined in.

James looked up and grinned, "She sure is."

Nick guffawed, "Well I can tell someone's takin' a shine to a certain redhead."

James peered at some unseen point over Nick's shoulder, then directed his gaze at the man, "I've always been partial to redheads."

"Me too." Tom said softly to no one as he finished the last of his coffee.

x.x.x

Tom gave up on the idea of sleeping and left his tent. He was anxious to get started on his search. He had a lead now and he wanted to follow it. The full moon clearly lit the path he walked. He came to a stop at the edge of the camp where the tree line gave way to a view of the mountains. Crossing his arms across his chest, he gazed out at the horizon.

He sensed her approach before she spoke, "How is she?"

Sheila stood next to him, relaxed but alert, "Katie."

She glanced at Tom as he frowned in confusion, "Her name is Katie."

She looked back out over the mountains. "The doctor says she'll be fine in a couple weeks. She has a couple of broken ribs, lots of internal bruising, but nothing that won't heal."

She moved to stare at her feet, "He was able to repair the damage from the assault, he stitched up the tears."

Tom dropped his chin to his chest but said nothing. They stood in silence for a while before he spoke, "You're a Chameleon aren't you?"

Sheila regarded him for a moment before she answered, "I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out. Does that bother you?"

"As long as you're on our side and these people don't get hurt, no." he replied.

"The only side I'm on is my own." she stated flatly. "But I have no intention of doing anything that would put these people at risk if that's what you're concerned about."

"Good, that's all I care about. How long have you been on your own?" he asked.

"About ten years. I was on an assignment and disappeared, they thought I was killed. The truth was, I got to know some of these humans we were suppose to hate. When I did, I realized they weren't all really as evil as we were always told, although there are a few scumbags out there that don't rate a place on food chain." She blew out in frustration thinking of those who'd hurt Katie. Bending down to pick up a rock, she threw it out over the embankment, "Anyway... I arranged my disappearance because I wanted out."

Tom considered what she'd said, "I'm surprised Lewis believed it."

"Lewis believed it because I made damn sure I took out my target and me with him."

Tom waited for her to explain. She looked at him, sensing his questions, "I was sent in to seduce and take out a senator who was leaning heavily toward favoring genetic research. He would have been the deciding vote on a bill that would have approved billions. What the general public didn't know was the real research to be funded was DNA manipulation, more specifically enhancement and cloning. The assembly felt that was getting a little to close to home so they decided he needed to be eliminated."

Tom looked at her in surprise, "Are you talking about Senator Braxton?"

"Yeah, that's the scumbag," she snarled. "Another thing about the dear senator no one knew was he was on the kinky side, he liked to film snuff videos."

Her eyes took on a haunted look, "We were out his boat. They had picked up some girl off the street, a hooker. Once they started filming, and it became real obvious what they had planned, she was so scared... she screamed for help. But there was no one to help her except me and I couldn't blow my cover."

Tom could clearly see the tears form in her eyes before she closed them, as though trying to shut out the images she was re-living. She spoke so softly, Tom had to strain to hear her, "She begged me to help her ... and they actually laughed when she did, like it was some big joke. She wasn't anybody, she was just a whore. I was so relieved when she finally died."

She cleared her throat and continued in a stronger voice, "Luckily, for me, she was a redhead. I blew up the boat. I can't imagine there was anything left to find, I planted enough C4 on that yacht to sink a battleship. I made it look like the explosives were set on a timer. I figured if Lewis sent anyone to investigate, he'd see the red hair and a body in handcuffs and think it was me."

Tom watched as she took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure, "Your ruse worked. I was on an assignment when that happened, but I remember seeing the report. He sent out a team of divers after you didn't report back, they found enough evidence to suggest you died in the explosion."

"I'm sure Lewis was pleased that I accomplished my mission," she remarked sarcastically. "I wonder where the hell the bastard is during all this mess. I can't imagine him not taking a front row seat to watch."

"Lewis is dead." Tom informed her as he thought about the story she'd told him. It explained a lot about her and why she was so protective of the girl.

She looked at Tom in shock, "No shit? Lewis? I didn't think the hardhearted asshole could die."

"He was tortured to death, I was in the same prison with him."

"Oh God!" she whispered. "No one deserves to die like that, not even Lewis."

Tom proceeded to tell her the story of his capture and what occurred while he was imprisoned. He told her about his subsequent escape, carefully leaving out the part about him discovering the nature of their true origins. He relayed how he'd come to meet Nick, the breakout and the rescue of everyone from the internment camp, and finally how they'd ended up here in the mountains.

She started walking back to the camp, "You're damn lucky you escaped. It makes me sick how Lewis died. Although I hated the son of a bitch, I'd never have wished that on him." She shuddered at the thought, "To change the subject, I saw your face on a news broadcast. That's why I was in L.A. I was coming to find you when this insane war broke out."

"Why would you want to find me?" Tom asked as he walked beside her.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Strength in numbers I suppose. I was tired of being out on my own. I figured you and I were of the same opinion on all this since you were helping the humans. I had no idea you'd been captured."

She contemplated a bit before she asked, "Why were you in L.A. today? Seems like a big risk to get medical supplies. You could have just as easily gotten them from a smaller town where you wouldn't chance running into the humans' army."

"I was looking for clues so I can find Sloan," he answered.

"Who's Sloan?"

"She's one of the scientists I was working with. You would have seen her in the same broadcast where you saw me."

Sheila stopped walking and turned toward Tom, studying him briefly she sensed his turmoil, "She's more than that."

Deciding not to push, she turned back to the path and began moving again, "How can I help?"

Tom rubbed the back of his neck, "James and I are leaving tomorrow. I found a clue we're going to check out. There are men in this camp, humans, that are highly trained... ex-military. But I'd feel better knowing there is a Chameleon here to help protect them."

"Now that I can do." Sheila grinned at him as they entered the camp.

x.x.x

Sloan was just finishing her coffee when she heard the knock at the front door. She rose from her chair and headed for it when Lou bellowed from his room, "Sloan? Would you mind getting that?"

"Sure," She yelled over her shoulder as she opened the door. "Hi Charlie, come on in. Lou's busy in his room, but he knows someone's here."

"So I heard. The kid always did have a big mouth." Charlie chuckled as he entered the house. He took her hand and gave her a kind look, "How are you doing Sloan?"

She exhaled carefully, "I'm doing OK... really." She tried to reassure him by squeezing his hand.

He gently patted the hand he held with his other hand, "Hopefully today will bring you some peace."

Sloan nodded her head mutely, afraid to trust her voice.

"I guess Junior's still getting dressed," Charlie said, changing the subject. "That boy has turtle in his spirit."

"I'm not sure what he's doing in there," she replied. "He's been in there for hours."

"Oh I know what he's doing, he's just slow about getting it done." After seeing Sloan's puzzled expression, he elaborated. "Lou is one of the lead dancers today, he's putting on his_regalia_."

"Oh! You mean for the Powwow?" she asked. When he smiled, she added, "I'm sorry, I've never been to a Powwow, you'll have to excuse my ignorance."

"That's all right Sloan, there's a first time for everything." Charlie considered the woman before him. He sensed she approached everything with a curious fascination. Every new thing that came to her was a wonder, to be examined from all angles, much like a child turning over a rock to discover the hidden treasures underneath. "This will be a new experience for you. I'm sure you have many questions."

"Well, yeah I do actually. I assume there is some type of proper protocol for how to behave?" she crinkled her nose as she gestured with her hands, "Like a Catholic mass, ya know? You have to do things a certain way."

Charlie's eyes twinkled in merriment, "We aren't that formal, but yes, there's some rules you should know. The most important thing to remember is, once the dance area has been blessed, it becomes spiritual ground, so don't walk on it. The dance area is clearly marked, so you don't have to worry about accidentally wandering into it. Either Lou or I will be with you to answer your questions during the ceremony, so don't concern yourself with 'messing up'.

Sloan's relief was clear in her expression, "What's a_regalia_?"

"A dancer's clothing." Lou answered, as he emerged from his room in a bright outfit of feathers, leather fringe and beadwork.

"Oh my God! Look at you! You look beautiful!" Sloan exclaimed.

Lou winced while Charlie laughed, "Sloan, I'm a man. I'm not supposed to look beautiful."

Sloan bit her lip and looked at Lou in amusement, "Ok... stunning then. You look stunning. Is stunning OK?"

Lou grinned at her as he opened the front door, "I can live with stunning, though I would prefer handsome. We need to go or we are going to miss the opening of the ceremony."

"Junior, they can't start without you. But maybe if YOU showed up on time, the ceremony would start on time." Charlie shook his head as they stepped off the porch, adding under his breath, "for once."

Lou turned to Sloan still grinning and silently gave her a wink.

x.x.x

Tom spotted the general store off the highway and decided to stop. He was ready for a break and hoped there was a possibility someone may recognize Sloan from her picture.

They'd found the ranch house yesterday where Sloan and the others had stayed. It was clear from the clutter that she was with a group before they fled. After carefully searching all the rooms and the area, he and James found the remains of a map that had been burned, but not quite destroyed. From the backward routes outlined, it indicated the group had headed for higher ground. Tom suspected there were other dominants with her, he could only hope they weren't enemies.

Pulling the bike around to the side of the building, he parked and looked at his surroundings. He took off his sunglasses and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Sighing, he pushed off the bike and headed for the door.

Tom rubbed the back of his neck as he scanned the interior of the shop. He walked toward the counter where he saw an old man behind the cash register. Pulling his wallet out of his back pocket, Tom removed Sloan's photo.

"Good morning," the old man said cheerfully. "Can I help you?"

"Good morning." Tom replied placing the photo on the counter. "I'm looking for a friend of mine and I was wondering if you'd seen her."

"Well let's see..." the old man answered as he shoved his glasses further up his nose and picked up the picture. "Oh I remember her. Pretty little thing. Yeah, she stopped in here ... oh I guess about a month ago now, maybe a little more. You her boyfriend?"

"Excuse me?" Tom asked a little taken aback by the question.

"Yeah, she bought a card while she was in here. Had to have been for her boyfriend cause she blushed when I asked her about it." The old man said with a chuckle. "Must have been for you by the look you got on your face."

"Do you know which way she was headed?" Tom asked ignoring the implications of the owner.

"No... But she did leave this," the old man replied pulling Sloan's journal from under the counter and handing it to Tom. "She and the people she was with left in a hurry and she forgot this. I hung onto it thinkin' she might come back for it. Maybe you can find somethin' in there to help you find her."

"Thank you," he said taking the book from the old man. He nodded his thanks again on his way out the door.

Tom walked around to the side of the store and leaned against his bike inspecting the book. He donned his sunglasses and opened the cover. Inside he saw words in Sloan's script and started to read.

_... June 1, 1998_

_... My Dearest Tom,_

_I have no idea what I'm going to say..._

An hour later Tom closed the cover of the book. Dropping his head, he removed his sunglasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath as he threw his head back and looked at the sky.

"My God! What she's been through," he thought to himself as he sifted through her words in his mind. She'd had to kill a man. He couldn't wrap his brain around that fact. Sloan wasn't a killer; her's was the kindest of souls.

He shook his head as he stood up and put his glasses back on. He put the journal in his saddlebags and threw his leg over his seat. Straddling the bike, he stood it up and raised the kickstand.

James, who'd been silently sitting nearby watching, asked. "Did you find anything?"

"Yeah." Tom said, kick-starting the bike, it roared to life. "We're heading for Washoe."

James took that as his cue and started his as well. The two men gunned their engines and headed east down the highway toward Nevada.

x.x.x

As they came into the more incorporated area of the reservation, they heard the sound of drums and chanting. Following the haunting cadence, they came to a park where a ceremony was taking place. Tom signaled to James to pull over and they stopped to watch the ritual. Looking closely at the various people gathered, Tom noticed the glint of copper hair. He got off his bike and slowly removed his sunglasses to get a better look.

She stood with her back to him, in his black coat and jeans. Her hair, an explosion of curls, glistening in the fading sunlight. Time stood still as he drank in the sight of her. His heart pounded in his chest and he couldn't breathe. Reality narrowed to that one small woman centered in his vision. He ached to hold her, but he couldn't move. All he could do was stand there and look at her.

He'd thought of this moment for so long, searched for her for what felt like forever. He'd dreamt of finding her again yet feared he never would. Now, to see her standing there, alive and well, he was awestruck with feelings he couldn't process.

Sloan sensed someone staring at her. She turned and saw the two men standing with motorcycles. One was in the middle of the road and gazing at her intently. She raised her hand to shield her eyes from the setting sun and squinted to see him better.

He was dressed in a leather jacket and pants, his dark hair barely grazing his shoulders. As she looked closer she saw the unmistakable blue of his eyes. Her breath hitched as it whooshed from her lungs. She reached out and grabbed Ed's arm to steady herself. "Oh my God, it's Tom!" she gasped. Tears sprang to her eyes; she started running toward the still figure and cried louder "Tom!"

The voice was all he needed to free him from his stupor. He managed two steps forward before she slammed into him. She held him tightly as she cried into the crook of his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. He felt himself fall into the aura that was Sloan and relief washed over him in waves. He'd found the part of him that had been missing and he finally felt at peace for the first time in months.

Reaching up to cradle her head in his hands, he pulled back so he could look into her eyes.

He wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb and let out a long-suffering sigh. Leaning down to kiss her, his lips barely brushed hers in the gentlest of touches. He was home... he had Sloan in his arms and he was never letting her go again.

x.x.x

Ed started to run after Sloan, but Mari reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him, "Not so fast sugar. Give 'em a couple minutes before you go blastin' in there like gangbusters."

Ed snapped at her in irritation, "What? Are you kidding? We don't even know yet if that IS Tom. Sloan could be in danger."

Mari looked at him incredulously, "Ed Tate, not only are you dense, you're blind. Take a real close look at that scene and tell me that's NOT Tom."

Ed blinked at her in confusion then looked again at the couple in the street. Both of the people he saw were hopelessly entwined with each other and the joy they emanated was almost visible.

Realizing his mistake, he glanced at Mari sheepishly, "It must be Tom. If it wasn't, Sloan would have already floored the guy by now."

She snickered, "Well...yeah, there is that. Not to mention about 10 dominants standing around that would have sensed danger by now and killed the guy."

Ed glanced around at the crowd that watched the reunion, everyone clearly happy about the event. He scratched under his chin, "Ummm... okay, you made your point."

"Relax," she said as she gave him a squeeze. "You can stand down now, her man's home."

x.x.x


	6. Part 6 Tomesha

**Part 6: Tomesha**

_"When the earth shakes at the coming of the new world do not be afraid. It will not hurt you.  
- Wovoca, 1890_

_"There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning."  
- Louis L'Amour_

_The earth speaks softly to the mountain,  
Which trembles  
And lights the sky.  
-author of a traditional Japanese haiku_

Charlie watched the exchange with composed interest. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together and they had to prepare. The teachings of their ancestors had foretold this event long ago. While he was certain the players had no idea of their roles, he was equally certain they would fulfill them without question. Things would begin to happen rapidly now. It was time to reveal the truth.

"Lou. Once Sloan and Tom are finished with their reunion, arrange for a meeting tomorrow morning. Make sure the man with Tom understands he's to come too, he is also very important."

Lou looked at his grandfather, "OK. Do you want the rest of Sloan's group there as well?"

"The others should be there, yes. I will speak with the rest of the elders." Charlie replied.

"Do you think he's the one?" Lou asked.

"I'm not sure yet which of them it is, but I feel certain it's one of them." Charlie answered before turning to walk away.

x.x.x

Sloan clutched Tom to her like she was afraid to let go, as though she feared if she released him, he'd disappear before her eyes.

"Shhh," Tom whispered to her as he stroked her hair. "Sloan, it's all right. Please... don't cry.

"Oh God Tom!" Sloan choked through her sobbing. "I can't believe you're standing here. Where did they take you? How did you get away? How did you find me?"

Tom looked at her tear stained face with a gentle smile, "I'll tell you all about it later. All that matters to me right now is that I found you."

Sloan wiped her eyes trying to regain her composure, "Ed and Ray are here. They are going to be so happy to see you. There're others here with us that I want you to meet."

Tom released her and walked toward his bike. He dug in his saddlebags, pulling out the book and handed it to her, "This belongs to you, it's how I found you."

Sloan looked at the book as she took it from him, "My journal!" She rubbed the cover absently, refusing to look up and meet Tom's eyes. "So you read it? Then you know about Walter?"

Tom nodded and responded quietly, "Yes, I read it... I know."

Sloan glanced at him with renewed sadness in her eyes, "That's what this ceremony is for. It happened 3 months ago today."

Sensing her sorrow, he decided a change of subject would be a good idea, "I want you to meet someone. This is James." Turning to the other man, "James, this Sloan."

James had been leaning on the handlebars observing. He reached up and removed his sunglasses before he spoke, "Well that much I'd figured out for myself." He smiled as he reached out to shake her hand. Sensing her emotional turmoil, he decided to keep his response lighthearted, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Maybe he can talk about something besides you now."

Seeing the genuine smile he got along with his handshake he continued, "He's a little single-minded where you're concerned, tends to make conversation limited."

Sloan laughed at that, "It's good to meet you too. Why don't you both come on up and join the rest of us so you can meet the others."

Nodding their acceptance, the men began pushing their bikes as they followed her. Tom quirked an eyebrow at James, "Single-minded?"

James fought to keep from smiling, "umm hmm, very."

x.x.x

Ed's large grin portrayed his feelings before he even spoke, "Tom! Man it's good to see you again!" He reached out and vigorously shook his hand, slapping him on the back with his other.

As the men talked, Sloan looked down and noticed Mari had a hold on Ed's belt. She looked up at her in amusement and Mari replied, "It makes a good leash."

Ray and the others came forward to welcome Tom back and introductions began. David stood back and watched. He sensed Lou's approach; sensed Lou was concerned about how he'd handle Tom's return.

"I told you there's nothing to worry about," David said as he turned to face Lou.

Lou studied him briefly before he spoke, "I know that's what you said, but I can't sense your feelings as your kind can ours. But from what I see in your eyes, I see it was the truth."

David turned back to watch the others, "Sloan has been so lost without him, she's been hurting a long time now. She tries to hide it, but she can't hide it from me. She has her soul back now."

Lou nodded his agreement as he too watched the others, "What is it like? To know what others are feeling."

David shrugged his shoulders, "It's hard to explain. It's like submerging yourself in a pool of water. The water rushes over your skin and you know it's outside your body. But at the same time, you feel like you are a part of it or like it's a part of you. The emotions of others — you feel them as if they're your own, but you also know they are outside of you. As very young children, we are taught how to suppress our emotions so we can differentiate between what is our own and what belongs to others.

"Submerged in other's emotions. That must be an odd sensation." Lou acknowledged. "What do you say we join the group and meet the new arrivals? I for one am curious to hear their story."

David agreed as the two men moved to join the growing crowd.

x.x.x

Tom shifted, putting his arm behind his head, as he stared at the ceiling and thought about the day's events. Sloan let out a soft moan as she exhaled and snuggled in closer to his side.

He instinctively tightened his arm around her, enjoying her warmth and the sense of being close to her. The peace he'd felt from their earlier lovemaking was disturbed by his certainty that the worst of this was not over. While she and the others in the house slept, he continued to turn over in his mind the words and feelings he'd gotten from the old man and Lou.

Finally, deciding attempts at sleep were futile, he quietly eased away from Sloan and got out of bed. He silently dressed and slipped out of the room. Knowing his distress would not end till he had answers, he decided to take a walk and find the old man.

x.x.x

Charlie sat on his porch, gently rocking in his chair and enjoying the cool desert night air. As he sipped his coffee, he spied the dark figure walking down the street towards his house. Smiling to himself, he wasn't surprised to see him. He'd figured the man would seek him out before the meeting tomorrow.

As Tom approached the house, he sensed the old man's presence and raised his head in surprise. His eyes met Charlie's and he read the keen intelligence behind the dark gaze. He was suddenly taken with a sense of 'coming home' as he climbed the porch steps.

Charlie broke the silence first as he continued to hold Tom's stare, "I've been expecting you. Take a seat."

Tom paused for a moment before dropping into the chair next to his. "I was compelled to come here, for reasons I'm not sure I even understand myself."

Nodding his head, Charlie handed Tom a cup of coffee, "Perhaps it is better this way, our speaking before the meeting tomorrow. I have much to tell you. For now, I want you to just listen. You can ask all your questions when I'm done."

Tom sensed the urgency in Charlie to get his message across, so he remained silent and waited for whatever the old man was about to reveal.

Charlie took a deep breath and began his tale...

"My people descended from an ancient race. It is said that '_We emerged from the underworld through a sacred aperture and then migrated in all directions'_. As has always been our tradition, legends have been handed down from the elders, generation after generation. There is one legend, from the time before our people scattered, which speaks of a great destruction coming. It speaks of a battle against other people in these lands ... the descendents of '_those that possessed the first light of wisdom_'. "

"During this time, a blue star will appear in the heavens. That will be the sign that the end of this world is near. '_This is also the time when the Lost White Brother will emerge. He'll be known by the symbols of the Blue Star and the missing piece of the sacred tablet he will carry with him. _

_He will bring with him two helpers. One of them will carry the masculine symbol of purity and the sign of the sun. The second will have the feminine sign representing life blood.'_"

"When the blue star falls from the sky, a red star will appear. This is _The Purifier, which brings with it the Day of Purification._ '_The world shall rock to and fro, much of the Earth will be destroyed.' _ Only those living at the Earth's Center according to the ancient ways will survive. According to the legend, the Lost White Brother and his helpers will show us the way."

Finished with his account of the ancient tale, Charlie waited for Tom's response.

Tom contemplated what he'd heard and what he felt from the old man before he spoke. "I feel you believe we, the Dominants, are these descendents you speak of."

Charlie nodded his head briefly in answer.

"You also believe I am one of these three key figures?"

"I'm certain of it."

Tom carefully sat his coffee mug down on the table between them. Bending over to rest his arms on his thighs, he absently rubbed one hand with the other. Turning his head to look at Charlie, he began his own tale. He told the old man about his discovery of the Project Starchild files and the fact that the Dominants had been engineered. He also relayed what he knew of the approaching Kewley's Comet and it's role in their history. Finally, he told Charlie about the mysterious pillar they'd found in Oaxaca.

"There's one more thing you should know," Tom added. "I have a tattoo on my shoulder. It was what we used to unlock the information in the Pillar about Kewley's Comet."

"Tom, from everything you've told me, I have to believe this comet is The Blue Star. And ... that YOU are the Lost White Brother spoke of in our legends. The pillar must have been the missing piece of the sacred tablet."

"James told me there are others among our people that also wear tattoos, they were keys to the pillar."

"Does James have a tattoo as well?"

"I don't know."

"Perhaps you should ask him."

x.x.x

The comet continued on its journey as it had for thousands of years, streaking along its determined path through the vacuum of interstellar space toward the sun. As it got closer to its destination, the frozen methane and ammonia and hydrogen that formed its coma began to melt. The boiling maelstrom of vaporized gases mixed with the rock and dust of its nucleus, forming a tail that lengthened as it got closer to the heat of the bright burning star. The tail trailed behind the comet, catching and reflecting light, giving off a brilliant glow.

On this trip through the galaxy, the comet would have company. The Companion was older than the comet, older than the sun it sped toward. The Companion existed long before this galaxy was formed. Its course took it far beyond the reaches of the known universe. It took millions of years for it to complete one pass around its elliptical orbit. It had been twenty-six million years since it had seen this galaxy. Because of its unusual path, the Companion was virtually unknown to the inhabitants of Earth. Its existence had been hinted at by past civilizations of course, stories had been handed down through the years. But the modern day people of Earth dismissed the old tales. However, soon, they'd believe. They'd believe as all the people before them had believed, right before the dawning of each new era.

x.x.x

Sloan and Ed were just sitting down to breakfast when Tom walked in the backdoor. He went to the coffee pot on the stove and poured himself a cup. Sloan studied him as he turned around, stirring his brew with a spoon.

He looked tired — not just from an obvious lack of sleep, but mentally and physically exhausted.

There were lines around his eyes and mouth now that hadn't been there before. As she marveled again over how long his hair had grown, she noticed the unmistakable glint of a few silver strands mixed in with the rich brown.

Sensing her scrutiny, he glanced up at her. She tried to cover her concern with a smile but it didn't fool Tom. His eyes softened as he walked over to the table and sat down next to her.

"I suppose you're wondering where I was all night?"

"Among other things..."

Ed stopped eating, fork halfway to his mouth, and looked at each of them in turn, "Umm, do you two want me to leave?"

"No Ed, you really need to hear this too." Tom replied rubbing the back of his neck. "Last night, I couldn't sleep. So I took a walk and went to meet Charlie. We talked most of the night."

Sloan reached out and took his free hand in a gesture of support, "About the meeting today?"

"That was part of it, yes. Before we go to that meeting, there are some things I need to tell you — to tell you both — that are going to come up with the group. I want you both to hear this from me first."

Ed put his fork down and pushed his plate away, "Oh man, why do I get the feeling this isn't gonna be good."

Sloan shot Ed a quelling look before prompting Tom to continue, "Is this about when you were held prisoner?"

"No, this is about what I found out after we escaped. We found files at the facility where we were held about a secret government experiment called Project Starchild. It was started in 1947. It was a genetic experiment on forty scientists who volunteered to have their DNA altered. The goal was to create a human being that would survive, according to James, Kewley's Comet. The government ordered the project terminated in 1964 and tried to eliminate all of us by destroying the underground facility in Oaxaca where the scientists were hidden."

Ed ran his hands through his hair causing it to stand straight up, "Wow! So the Dominants were engineered for survival. God! That makes so much sense coupled with everything we know about them! But wait a minute ... you said this was started in 1947? That's not possible, we didn't have that kind of technology in 1947. I wish we knew more about who and what was involved..."

"I don't have any more information about what was involved." Tom said as he pulled a piece of paper out of his coat pocket and handed it to Ed, "But I have a list of the names of the scientists that volunteered."

Ed was so excited, his hands shaking so badly, he was barely able to open the document. As he scanned the list, his eyebrows inched higher and higher into his hairline. "Von Braun, Blome, Ambros, Becker, Ruff, Gelli ... Jesus!"

He looked up with amazement written all over his face, "Tom, where did you say you were held again?"

"We were somewhere within the Nevada Test Site and Nellis complex."

"Holy shit! Ed shrieked, jumping up from the table in a rush knocking his chair over in the process. "Do you know who these guys were!"

Tom looked at Sloan in question and saw she was just as surprised as he. Turning back to Ed he shook his head.

Ed was pacing in circles, unable to contain his excitement. He waved the paper wildly over his head, "These guys were part of the team of German scientists that the US Government secretly brought into the country! They had worked for the Nazis and the U.S. had to cover-up their involvement to get them over here!"

Sloan barked out laughing. "Ed, get serious! I'm surprised at you, I never took you for conspiracy nut."

Ed righted his chair and quickly sat back down at the table. "It's always been a morbid fascination of mine, not that I truly believed it. But now ... I wonder. How else would you explain DNA altering in the 40's? Or the Dominant's abilities?"

Tom carefully hid his amusement as Sloan looked back at him. After she managed to control her giggles, she asked, "Tom, where does the comet come into all this. I still don't understand that."

"According to James, Kewley's Comet passed close to the Earth in 1940. Scientists predicted that the next time, in 1964, it would cause destruction of global proportions. We were meant to be able to survive, so the human race would not become extinct. The government decided they didn't need us anymore when that didn't happen."

"How does James fit into all this? How does he know so much about it?"

"James is one of the original offspring. He was born in Oaxaca."

"Are you telling me Oaxaca was a breeding facility!"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you."

"That's disgusting!" Sloan exclaimed, screwing her face up in shock and distaste. "The government experimented on humans, created you, bred you, and then tried to destroy you. No wonder your people are so angry."

"Sloan, there's something else..." Tom said turning in his chair to look at her directly. "The prediction about Kewley's Comet — they were off by a few years."

"I don't understand... "

"They had the date wrong. It wasn't 1964, it's 1998. That's what this meeting is about today. Charlie's legend, it talks about the comet and what is going to happen. Today we are going to come up with a plan on how we are going to survive."

x.x.x

The meeting was going well. All the information about the comet had been conveyed to the entire group as well as the true origin of the Dominants. Charlie was just concluding the reiteration of the full context of the legend...

"... the last thing I need to tell you all is that we have determined who the Lost White Brother is. Tom tells me he wears a tattoo that marks him as a 'key' the your lost pillar. He says this 'key' was used to reveal the nature of the comet. Because he carries the direct link to the comet and the pillar, we believe him to be the Lost White Brother."

"He also says that he was told this key labels him as 'Chosen' and there are others among you that have such tattoos. James, I understand you are the one that told him this."

"That's right."

"We must also find out who the two helpers are. The people we seek will also have tattoos. One will be the sign of the sun, the other will be the sign of life blood. James, are you also 'Chosen'?"

James rose and swiftly removed his shirt in answer. Turning to the group, he showed them he also had a tattoo — an ornate sun that contained a swastika in the same dot type pattern as Tom's.

"This proves you to be one of the people we seek." Charlie nodded in approval. Looking to the rest of the group, "Do any of the rest of you have a tattoo?"

Mari spoke up, mirth dancing in her eyes, "Well, I have one but it doesn't look anything like theirs. I know where mine came from and it sure ain't on my shoulder."

Charlie laughed, Mari's meaning clear, "I won't ask you if we can see it then." Turning back to James, he continued. "I feel certain the other helper is either in this group in the mountains or someone we will meet soon. The symbol will look much like a cross and it will have _red lines between the arms. _You should watch for it in your travels."

"I will." James replied pulling his shirt back on. "I think Dennis and I should leave tonight. While we still have a month and a half till Kewley's appearance, we still have to get the group from there to wherever we are going."

"Agreed. While you're gone, we'll see if we can locate some vehicles that will run." Tom stated.

"Didn't you say the trucks you stole were military?" Lou asked. "There's an Army Guard base not far from here. It would be deserted but they would have trucks."

"Good idea." Tom agreed. "We should also probably gather supplies to take with us. We don't know what we'll find where we are going." Turning to Charlie he added, "You haven't told us yet where we are headed."

"We are going to the Earth's Center ... you would know it as Four Corners."

x.x.x

Bill and Sonny were sitting at the campfire when they heard the distant rumble of the Harley's. Standing, Sonny grabbed his rifle and sent Scott to get Sheila and Jake. The bikes pulled into the campgrounds just as the others raced into the clearing.

Shelia recognized James immediately and relaxed her stance, propping the butt of the rifle on her hip with the barrel in the air. James dropped the kickstand on his bike as he reached over and shut off the engine. When he looked up and saw Shelia, he flashed her a dazzling smile as he removed his sunglasses.

"Hi sweetheart, I'm back."

"So I noticed."

"Did you miss me?"

"No."

James chuckled as he turned to look at the others who'd also dropped their weapons when they'd recognized him. Dennis sat quietly nearby using his senses to feel out the group.

"Welcome back." Sonny offered. "Where's Tom? Did you guys find Sloan?"

James got off the bike and walked toward the campfire as he spoke, "Yes, we found Sloan. Tom stayed behind with her and her group."

He sat down on a log with a groan, resting his arms across his thighs. He squinted up at the others as Dennis joined the circle. "This is Dennis. He's from Sloan's group."

Dennis silently sat down and waiting for James to continue. " We came to collect you all and take you back with us."

The others joined the two men around the campfire, except for Shelia. She remained standing where she was, still holding her weapon.

James turned to her, "Aren't you going to sit down?"

"I don't want to catch anything."

"Are you inferring I have something contagious?"

"Not as in a disease, no. I was thinking more along the lines of a parasite — like fleas."

James' eyebrows rose, "I don't have fleas."

Shelia tilted her head to the side as she regarded him. "Really? That would be unusual. Most dogs do."

Sonny spit his coffee into the fire as he choked and coughed through his laughter. Jake pounded on Sonny's back as he too laughed, shaking his head. Even the stoic Dennis smiled at the exchange between the two adversaries.

James frowned, staring back at the redheaded spitfire. When he opened his mouth to respond, Nick cut him off, "Son, if I were you, I'd quit now while you're ahead. She ain't gonna give an inch and she has you just a mite outclassed at this point. This is the time for what we called in the military, a 'strategic retreat'."

x.x.x

James was exhausted by the time he'd conveyed all the information to the others about the legend and the coming journey. It was going to be a long trip. Five hundred miles to the reservation, then another seven hundred till they got to Four Corners. He'd be glad when it was over.

Everyone else had long since retired for the night, but he was restless. There were too many things to do and not enough time to get them done. Not to mention the danger it all presented to the rest of the group. Deciding a soak in the nearby hot springs would relax him, he grabbed his towel and left the tent.

Just as he reached the edge of the springs, he sensed someone was already there. Dropping to a crouch, using the brush as cover, he cautiously peered through the leaves at the water trying to locate the other person.

Moonlight reflected off the pool, the bubbles from beneath causing the light to ripple. Steam rose off the water in invitation. It took him a minute but he finally spotted her. It was Sheila. She was at the far end, her arms cradling her head on the rocks. Her eyes were closed and her lips curved in contentment, she appeared to be sleeping.

Smiling to himself, he quickly stripped and silently entered the water. He carefully made his way over to her, settling on a spot a few feet away. Propping his arms on the rocks behind him, he looked up at the sky.

"It is a beautiful night isn't it." he said, smirking as he saw her jump slightly from the corner of his eye.

She lifted her head and glared at him, "You don't take a hint do you? Has anyone ever told you it's dangerous to sneak up on a Chameleon like that? It can get you killed. And how did you manage to do that anyway? I should have sensed you."

James smiled at her obvious discomfort, "I've had a little training of my own sweetheart."

She snarled at him, her raising ire showing clearly on her face, "Look, my name is Sheila. If you must address me, call me by my name. If you call me 'sweetheart' one more time, I WILL kill you in your sleep."

"Alright ... Sheila. Why is it you hate me so much? I've never done anything to you."

Sheila wiped her wet hair back from her face as she turned to face him, sinking deeper into the water. "It's simple. You. Are. A. Man. Although, I guess you really can't help that."

"So do you hate all men or just me in particular?"

"I don't hate men, per say. I just don't trust them as far as I can throw them."

"Fair enough. How about we call a truce? We have to get this group of people to Washoe and then on to Four Corners. I'd prefer to have you working with me rather than against me."

"A truce huh? I'll agree to a temporary cease fire but that's as far as I'm going."

James nodded his head, "That'll be fine with me for a start. Maybe after some time, you'll find out I'm trustworthy."

"I doubt that." Shelia smirked, turning her back to him and grabbing her towel. "So... Since we have a 'cease fire' here, what do you really think about this whole business of this trip and this legend? You really believe it?"

James' breath caught in his throat as his eye caught the elaborate tattoo on her back. Forgetting himself, he quickly swept over to her and grabbed her shoulder. "Son of a bitch!"

Sheila shrieked and tried to fight him off but his grip was like iron, "What the hell are you doing?"

"This tattoo... on your back. It looks like a cross." he remarked sternly, tracing the design with his finger. "Are these lines red?"

"What the fuck is the matter with you?" she asked craning her head around to look at him.

"Answer me!" he barked. "Is this a cross? Are these lines red?"

"Yes! Okay? It's a cross. And yes they are red!"

He turned her to face him and searched her eyes, "You're the other one."

Sheila quickly covered her front with the towel. She was looking at him like he had lost his mind. "The other one? The other what?"

"Charlie told us the legend says the Lost Brother will have two helpers. One will have a cross with red lines. The other will have a sun."

"Is that so?" she replied snidely. "So who has the sun?"

James released her and turned his back for her inspection. Sheila didn't have to look closer to see his tattoo. "Shit. Well isn't this just perfect."

James turned back around before speaking, "You asked if I believe all this? Any doubts I'd previously had just went right out the window."

"Whoa! Look at that." Sheila pointed toward the sky.

James looked up and saw dozens of flashes of red and green streaking across the black sky.

"Are those shooting stars? I've never seen them in red or green before." Sheila asked.

"In more innocent times, I would have said yes." James answered. "Now, I would call it an preview to the coming show."

x.x.x

The comet was closer to the blue orb now. Caught in the gravity of the sun, it was pulled helplessly toward the fiery globe. The chemicals in its coma were vaporizing in frenzied fury with the friction and increasing heat. CO2 hissed from the crevices and mixed with the other gases, swept along behind the nucleus. On the surface, geysers erupted ... vents of steam and gas, shooting dust and particles into the vacuum above. Larger portions of rock were beginning to break away in the increasing force between the sun and the Companion.

The Companion was unaffected by the increasing pull from the celestial body, it's frigid surface marred still with ice and pumice. The mass of the Companion was having an effect on the sun however. A closer look at the fiery star showed eruptions on the surface were increasing in violence. The solar flares danced higher and higher above the surface — the explosions within its core becoming more forceful. The tug of war between the sun and the Companion had just begun, with the comet caught in the middle and the blue planet as a spectator.

x.x.x

Sloan came up behind Tom as he sat at the picnic table. She slipped her arms around his neck, handing him the card she had bought a lifetime ago.

He took the card with one hand and grasped her arm with the other. Looking up into her face he asked, "What's this?"

"I bought that for you a long time ago but this is the first chance I've had to give it to you."

Opening the gift, he began to read the verse aloud...

_Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, shivering from fright  
Feeling empty, feeling nothing because  
I think about how it would be if you weren't here..._

He stopped, unable to keep going. Dipping his head slightly he cleared the sudden constriction in his throat. He pulled Sloan around to sit next to him and looked into her eyes. "I've been here — I DO know how this feels. When I was imprisoned, I woke up in the middle of the night ... in fear, feeling empty. Not because I'd lost my freedom, but because I thought I'd lost you."

Releasing her, he ran his hand down his face and sighed before continuing, "I had no idea if you had also been captured — or killed. All I could think about was you. I was so worried about what had happened to you. Then, when I escaped and found out about the war, I just ... I was lost without you. You are my heart ... my life. I love you Sloan. I truly, truly love you.

Sloan couldn't stop the silent tears running down her face. Choking on her sobs, she threw her arms around his neck, "I love you too Tom."

x.x.x

The cease-fire between Sheila and James had held — so far. The camp of nearly six hundred was packed, the trucks lined up on the dirt road pointed in the direction of the highway. Everyone was loaded and ready to go. The drivers and leaders stood to the side coordinating their final plans for the long road trip.

"Okay, we'll stop at the station at the on ramp to route 395 and fill up, they have diesel there." James commanded looking at the drivers. "Don't forget to fill up the extras tanks stored in the back in case we need it. Jake and Dennis will take the point on two of the bikes. Scott and I will cover the rear of the convoy."

"Why don't you let me take the last bike?" Sheila asked. "This could get dangerous. You may need my skills in a fire fight."

James shook his head, "No, I want you in the rear of the last truck. If we run into trouble you can surprise them because they won't be expecting it."

Not happy about it but understanding the strategy, Sheila agreed.

"Sonny? You got that mini canon of yours locked and loaded?" James called over to the big man getting into the lead vehicle.

Sonny raised his weapon above his head, "She goes where I go."

"Ok." James said as he mounted his scooter. "Let's get this show on the road."

The drivers all climbed into their trucks, engines started with loud rumbles and air brakes hissed as the caravan began their journey to Washoe.

x.x.x

"Well ... I don't know 'bout you Sonny, but I'll be damn glad when this trip is over," Nick grumbled, shifting gears. "My damn knee is 'bout to give out and my back is killin' me. I think I'm gettin' old my friend."

"Ah hell Nick, stop bitchin'. You got plenty of mileage left in ya." Sonny replied.

"Well I ain't sayin' I'm ready to bite the farm damnit. I'm just sayin' I don't care much for all this excitement. I'm getting' too old for this shit."

_Crack!_

"What the fuck!"

_Crack!_

"Son of a bitch Nick! Somebody's shootin' at us!"

Nick slammed on the brakes. Tires screaming, he downshifted for all he was worth. He gripped the big steering wheel hard to keep from losing control of the truck. Behind them, the others were rapidly following suit, not only to avoid ramming him, but having heard the shots themselves. Screams and gasps came from under the canvas covers from people having been thrown suddenly to the floor. Sonny grabbed his weapon and hung out the window trying to get a target in sight to shoot at. Up ahead he saw the scene unfold as if in slow motion.

Another shot came from the surrounding brush, hitting Jake square in the chest. The man flew backwards off the bike, his back exploding outwards in a spray of blood and bits of flesh that covered the windshield. His body landed momentarily on the hood of the truck before rolling off to the pavement below. The riderless bike went down hard, twisting and tumbling, sending up a shower of sparks in its wake. Nick swerved to avoid hitting the twisted heap of metal, causing two wheels to briefly leave the ground.

Sonny still didn't have a visual but he fired the M60 anyway in the direction the shot had come from. "Jesus! Jesus! That was Jake!" he screamed, wiping has face to remove the splatters of blood he'd caught.

Dennis, who'd been riding shotgun, went for the dirt as soon as the spray of blood had hit him. He laid the bike down in a cloud of dirt, rolling away and heading for the brush. He had his rifle to his shoulder before he even stopped moving.

In the rear, James detoured off the highway heading for higher ground with Scott on his tail. He stopped in the trees, quickly dropping his bike. Scott slid to a stop next to him and James whispered instructions, "You know where we're goin', we aren't that far away. You ride like hell and get to Tom. Tell him what's goin' down. OK?"

Scott nodded his understanding and raced like the wind through the trees to avoid being seen.

Sheila jumped from the back of the truck she was in before it even stopped moving. She ran in a crouch for the tree line and hastily searched for one she could quickly climb.

Soldiers began swarming out of the surrounding brush, heading for the long line of military trucks stopped in the middle of the highway. While the camp had their share of weapons and fighters, they were greatly outnumbered.

x.x.x

Tom jumped quickly from the picnic table when he heard someone screaming his name. Running to the front of the house, he reached the street as Lou, Ray, Ed, and David were coming off the porch. Scott screeched to a skidding stop and breathlessly shouted out what was happening back on the highway.

Ray ran into the house to get his weapon with the others close behind. Lou raced back out the door to gather other members of the tribe while the Dominants began loading their rifles. When Ed started to grab a gun, Tom stopped him, "You stay here and start setting up a triage. I'm sure before this is over, there'll be wounded." Ed gave him a grateful look and ran upstairs with renewed purpose.

The group gathered in front of Lou's house, about thirty in all. Some carried rifles while others held crossbows. They took out across the desert on horses and motorcycles, opting for a more silent approach.

The sounds of gunfire and screams told them when they were near. They moved in through the trees, using the tall ones as cover. Bodies lay sprawled on the pavement before them, twisted in unnatural poses. The coppery smell of blood and the scent of sulfur from gunpowder hung in the air.

Tom sensed James further down the tree line and crawled in his direction while the others took up stations that gave them the best advantage. Their firepower added to those of the caravan was turning the tide in their favor.

"What the hell happened?" Tom asked James as they both lay on their bellies amid the brush.

"I don't know exactly." James responded, aiming at an advancing soldier and taking his shot. "They came out of nowhere and surprised us."

"Are they Dominant or human?"

"Well Tom, I been a little too busy to go ask them."

"Where's Sheila and Dennis?"

"Sheila shimmied up one of those trees. Dennis was on point when they hit. He went for cover in the brush on the other side of the road."

Suddenly the enemy shooting stopped. One of the soldiers yelled across the road, throwing out his weapon in surrender. He stood from his hiding spot and walked out onto the pavement with his hands on his head. The remaining soldiers followed his lead, discarding their guns and coming out of the brush. Five young men stood in defeat; none of them appeared to be older then nineteen at the most.

Tom and James cautiously stepped out from their cover. Weapons at the ready, they approached the group. "Who are you?" Tom asked sternly. "Why would you attack families?"

"We were following orders sir," the spokesman of the group said, his voice cracking.

"Whose orders?"

"The orders came from the President himself sir."

The young man looked down at his feet and continued softly, "We didn't know this convoy was a bunch of families. We were told it was the Dominant army."

"There is no more army, Dominant or otherwise." Tom said. "The war is over, the world as we knew it is gone. All that's left are people trying to survive. Son, you and your friends have a choice. You can become survivors or you can die."

The young man looked up sharply at that last statement. Tom continued, "What your leaders probably didn't tell you is there's a comet heading our way. It will wipe out what is left of civilization. You can come with us and live or you can stay here and die. Which is it going to be?"

The young man looked at his friends in silent appeal, and then back to Tom, "We'd like to live sir."

x.x.x

They buried the dead in the desert, over fifty in all. They'd found Dennis shot in the back in the brush where he'd hidden. Jake, John, Mark, and many others joined him in a shallow grave.

The final ride to the reservation was a solemn one, people lost in their grief and feelings of uncertainty. The young soldiers chose to stay isolated from the others during the trip. They were all clearly shaken over the realization that their orders had been flawed, one even wept silently.

Ed and Sloan met the convoy and immediately began the job of treating the injured. Charlie took charge of getting the families settled in the park, recruiting the assistance of the soldiers in pitching tents and hauling belongings. He felt it would serve as a way for them to begin making amends.

They dug an open fire pit in the center, lining it with rocks and sand. By nightfall, a large fire crackled in the center of the camp. The Elders and the adults sat around the warmth, sharing a meal of chicken roasted on spits over the coals.

Charlie was the first to speak of the final plans they needed to make. "I think we should probably wait a week or so before we pack up and head out. The injured need time to heal; the others need time to deal with their loss. Tomorrow we will hold a ceremony to aid the dead in their journey to the other side." The Elders nodded their heads in approval.

"Charlie, the injured are going to need more than a week to heal." Ed said.

Charlie looked out over the horizon, into the night sky as he considered Ed's words. "We can wait no longer."

"Why? Surely two weeks still gives us plenty of time to get to Four Corners."

Charlie pointed in the direction of the mountains, "There is your answer Ed."

Dancing atop the distant dark peaks was an Aurora Borealis — a spectacular show of green, blue, purple and red. Shooting stars of red, green and orange streaked through the sky, disappearing behind the mountains. And hovering in the sky above it all was a bright, blue star.

x.x.x

The strain on the comet was intense now as the sun and the Companion battled for dominance. Chunks of rock broke away, hurtling toward the blue planet below. Steam vents erupted with explosive power, jetting hydrogen, CO2, and methane into the vast emptiness around it. The tail was increasing in length as dust and rock rushed behind it. The entire comet seemed surrounded in a brilliant blue aura. While this appeared to be its last dance, it would put on a beautiful show.

The sun was a flurry of activity. Great eruptions of fire and gas leapt out from the gas globe, shooting up to reach higher and higher heights before falling back to the surface. Plasma and particles shot away from the surface creating an orange halo. The Companion was no longer placidly gliding in its path. The heat from the sun and the increasing friction from its gravity were warming the surface of the giant barren globe. Chemicals, long frozen, were melting and mixing with the pumice and dust on its surface giving it a red hue.

x.x.x

It took them over a week to reach their new home, the ancient dwellings of the Anasazi. The soldiers had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. They eagerly shared their knowledge of the locations of military installations that were still manned, allowing the convoy to avoid them.

When they arrived, other people were already there to greet them. Members of The Ute, The Pueblo, The Navaho, and The Hopi were all present. Charlie didn't seem particularly surprised by this fact though it gave several of the others pause.

The trucks were quickly unloaded with the additional hands and goods stored in kivas deep below ground. Medical supplies, fuel and water were added to the stores of grain, dried meat and seed already there.

The ruins were immense, reaching far below the surface. An endless maze of tunnels connected larger community areas and private quarters, all perfectly preserved under the cool rock of the mesas above.

Outside the children played among the vestiges, climbing ladders and running along stone stairways, shrieking in delight. The view of the surrounding canyons was breathtaking, with cottonwoods and spruce and sagebrush dotting the hills and gorge below.

The sun had just disappeared behind the horizon when Tom found Sloan sitting on a stonewall, staring out at the far-reaching landscape. He sensed her turmoil as he approached. When she didn't notice him sit down beside her, his concern grew. Taking her hand he asked, "Sloan? You are a million miles away. What's wrong?"

She quickly scrubbed away a tear that had snuck down her cheek and sighed. "It is so beautiful ... all of it. The mountains, the ruins, the canyons ... " She looked up at the sky. "I can't believe it's all going to be gone ... it's so sad..."

Tom took a deep breath, enclosing her hand between his own, "We don't know that it is all going to be destroyed. Charlie and the Elders from the other tribes say their legends hint that this has happened before. The Earth is millions of years old Sloan. It has survived before, it'll survive this time too."

Sloan sniffled and tried to smile, "Oh I know the planet will survive. And as a scientist I know that the changes this is going to cause will be exciting, probably even create new wonders to admire. But ..."

Charlie walked up behind them, interrupting their conversation. "It is time to go below and seal the caverns." He looked out to the distant mountains to emphasize his point.

Tom and Sloan turned in that direction and saw it. The Northern Lights were more vivid than ever and they were joined by an electrical storm flashing in bright, brilliant colors. The blue star still blazed in the heavens but tonight, a large red star burned as its companion.

x.x.x

Chaos raged on Earth as the war between the Celestial bodies unleashed fury of biblical proportions from the heavens. Meteors thrown from the comet blazed through the sky, the fireballs trailed by bright streaks of light.

The added gravitational pull from the Companion added more strain than the tectonic plates could endure. The Juan De Fuca Plate suddenly plunged deep beneath the North American Plate starting a chain-reaction along the entire West Coast.

The massive jolt to the North American Plate caused an abrupt thrust of intense pressure on the vents of the Cascade Mountains. Mt Baker exploded, blowing off the top of the mountain. The pyroclastic flow instantly melted the icy glaciers at its peak. Water mixed with mud and rocks and trees hurtled down the mountain at incredible speeds, taking out everything that stood in its path.

Each volcano in turn blew with an equally powerful force; Mt Rainer, Mt Adams, Mt Saint Helens, Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, Mt Shasta all detonated hurling a violent torrent of debris and lava to the valleys below.

The violence didn't end with the volcanos on land. Those along the Juan De Fuca Ridge also erupted with equal intensity. An earthquake larger than the big one in Alaska rocked the ground from Fairbanks to Sacramento. The jolt uprooted trees and toppled buildings and bridges. The sliding motion of North American Plate caused a splinter along the Pacific Plate, bringing the San Andreas to life in a way people had feared for years. The brutal activity created a tsunami that slammed into the West Coast and wiped out everything miles inland. The San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys were valleys no more.

And so it went all along the Ring Of Fire, truly living up to its name on this day. The Pacific coast wasn't the only area to suffer catastrophic damage. Little known faults along the East Coast ruptured as well. The New Madrid fault cut loose with shaking that hadn't been seen since the 1800's and the mighty Mississippi River once again ran backwards.

x.x.x

Miles below ground in the dwellings of the ancients, only an occasional faint rumble hinted at the pandemonium above. Mothers comforted crying children as others spoke in hushed whispers, speculating on what they would find when they were able to return to the surface.

The Elders said it had happened before; their legends spoke of other extinctions in the distant past. Only time would tell, until then they must be patient.

Of one thing they were certain. The Lost White Brother and his helpers would lead them to a better day.

**The End**


End file.
